New tactics and tech essential weapons in 'war' against floods

Scientific scheduling

When massive floods came to Zhujiaqiao village in Poyang county in 1998, the electricity was cut off. But now, this will never happen again.

Drawing a great lesson from the 1998 flood, Jiangxi province launched a "returning farmland to lake" project, relocating a large number of residents living in embankments and dikes, places near rivers and lakes and often threatened by floods, to places unaffected by waters.

"The emergency response is much faster, and the necessities prepared for the relocated people have improved substantially compared with 1998," a resident in Poyang county said.

Before the flood, local governments set up available schools and village activity centers as emergency shelters in advance, and equipped them with necessary items such as instant food, medicine and waterproof mats.

When the Changjiang River embankment appeared in danger on July 11, more than 200 armed police officers, soldiers and militia members came to reinforce the embankment immediately, and the villagers were transferred to safer ground right away.

"We will not let even one villager be displaced. I hope the floods recede as soon as possible, but we are also ready for a long 'war'," said Lan Qiongfei, a Party committee member in Poyang town.