During a meeting on disaster relief in Beijing on July 2, State Councilor Wang Yong urged efforts to strengthen flood control and disaster relief to safeguard the public and their property.

China’s northern and southern regions have entered major flood seasons with frequent heavy rainfalls, Wang said, stressing that related departments across the regions should further improve their emergency response mechanisms.

The departments should enhance their capability to release disaster warnings for floods, mudslides, urban waterlogging and severe typhoons, prepare sufficient relief resources, conduct overall investigation of potential risks, deal with major emergencies, and relocate people in a timely manner.

Wang also required high standards in conducting the first national census on natural disaster risks to support disaster prevention and control as well as economic and social development.