People's life in disaster-hit areas should be ensured: minister
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-12-24 16:48

Disaster relief work should be strengthened to ensure the basic life of people in disaster-stricken areas, Li Xueju, minister of civil affairs, said in Beijing on Saturday.

In particular, food and drinking water should be brought to the disaster-hit areas within 24 hours if any disaster is reported, Li said at the closing ceremony of a training class on disaster emergency response for local officials.

He called on local officials to establish a highly efficient emergency response system with clear-cut responsibilities, continue to improve their emergency plans and rescue capabilities, regularize reconstruction, put the emergency response management into the local overall planning of social and economic development.

The ability to forecast and prevent disasters should be enhanced depending on the development of science and technology, while reconstruction after disasters should also be strengthened to quickly bring to normal people's life and production as well as social order, Li added.

China has seen various mishaps this year, making it an urgent task for the government to build up disaster-warning networks.

Up to November, 1,855 lives were claimed in natural disasters in China and direct economic losses totaled 199 billion yuan (25 billion U.S. dollars), according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

In July this year, the State Council, or China's cabinet, decided to set up a general emergency response plan, including 25 sub-plans for specific emergencies and 80 ministerial ones.