Beijing to dredge rivers, renovate reservoirs

BEIJING - Beijing will step up flood-control efforts by dredging river channels and reinforcing dikes and reservoirs after a devastating rainstorm killed 79 people last month and sparked nationwide fury over the city's lack of focus on flood prevention.

By October, workers will have cleared sludge and other waste that was washed into rivers by the July 21 rainstorm, the heaviest in 60 years in the Chinese capital, Cheng Jing, head of the Beijing Water Authority, said Wednesday.

The city will also harness its 34 small and medium-sized rivers, reinforce 13 reservoirs and renovate flood control works in 15 river basins, Cheng said, adding that these projects will be completed by June next year.

Cheng also said that by 2015, all of Beijing's small and medium-sized rivers will be prepared to discharge floodwater and the city's flood control capacity will be raised.

Beijing announced earlier this month that it will build 20 underground flood pools near low-lying traffic passages that are most vulnerable to flash floods.