China: Floods [OCHA-01: 07-Jul-99]
China: Floods [OCHA-01: 07-Jul-99]
China - Floods
OCHA Situation Report No. 1
7 July 1999
Situation
1. The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs reports through the Office of the
United Nations Resident Coordinator in Beijing that during the last ten
days in June 1999 it has been raining heavily in the areas along the
Yangtze River. Water exceeded the level set for flood-warning in Xinjiang
River in Jiangxi Province; Yuanshui River and Lishui River in Hunan
Province; Wu Lake and Chao Lake in Anhui Province and Tai Lake in Zhejiang
Province. Most severely affected are the provinces of Anhui, Zhejiang,
Hubei and Jiangxi.
2. According to the statistics reported to the Central Government, the
floods affected 59.396 million people and killed 240 persons. 1.84 million
people have been evacuated. 482,000 housing units collapsed and 1.67
million have been severely damaged. In total, 35 million hectares of
cultivated land have been affected and 660,000 thousand hectares of crops
were lost. The direct economic losses are estimated at 18.35 billion
Chinese Yuan (approximately USD 2.22 billion).
3. In Anhui Province, rainfall exceeded 600 millimeters. Nine county
centres were flooded, including Anquing, Chizhou and Xuancheng. The floods
have surrounded 3,155 villages. 12.52 million people have been affected
and 40 people were killed. 76,000 housing units collapsed and 175,000 have
been damaged. 670,000 hectares of cultivated agricultural land have been
damaged, out of which 180,000 hectares are completely lost. The direct
economic losses are estimated at 5.35 billion Chinese Yuan (approximately
USD 650 million).
4. In Zhejiang Province, the water level in the flatlands of Hangjia Lake
increased quickly and the water in the Xinanjiang Reservoir thus exceeded
the flood-warning level. Ten regions/cities and 45 counties have been
affected by floods. Among the severely affected cities and counties are
Changxing, Ping Lack, Jiashan, Haiyan, Huzhou, Kaihua, Shengqiu,
Shengxian, Dongxian, and Haining. In Zhejiang Province, 7.9 million people
have been affected and 770,000 people have been evacuated. 31 people were
killed. About 700,000 housing units have either been damaged or destroyed.
477,000 thousand hectares of agricultural land have been affected and
8,600 hectares of crops were completely lost. The direct economic losses
are estimated at 8.4 billion Chinese Yuan (USD 1.02 billion).
5. Since 15 June 1999, Hubei Province suffered from frequent rainstorms,
torrential rains and heavy downpours. The rainfall exceeded 100
millimeters in 56 counties causing an increase in the water level in some
big rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Many areas, including Huanggang,
Xianning, Huanshi, Ezhou, Wuhan, Xiantao, Xiaogang and Jizhou have been
severely affected. 18.09 million people have been affected out of which
334,000 people have been evacuated and 40 people lost their lives. 180,000
housing units collapsed and 259,000 rooms have been severely damaged. 1.03
million hectares of agricultural land have been affected and 220,000
hectares of crops were completely lost.
6. In Jiangxi Province, the sudden rise of the water level in Xinjian,
Cangjiang, Meijiang and Gingjiang River caused some human losses and heavy
economic damages in Jingdezhen, Shangrao, Jiujiang, Yingtan, Yishun and
Fuzhou. The floods have affected 4.37 million people and 267,000 people
have been evacuated; 11 people were killed. 130,000 housing units
collapsed and 165,000 have been damaged. 277,000 hectares of agricultural
land have been affected; 80,000 hectares of land were completely ruined.
The direct economic losses are estimated at 2.38 billion Chinese Yuan
(approx. USD 290 million).
National Response
7. The Chinese Government has taken a series of effective measures to
evacuate the affected population and to reduce the human and economic
losses caused by floods to the minimum level. The Ministry of Civil
Affairs has approved the use of 5,000 tents for Hubei and Anhui provinces
from relief stocks managed directly by the Central Government to provide
shelter to the most vulnerable groups of the flood-affected population.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs also dispatched working groups to
flood-affected areas in Hubei and Jiangxi provinces to check the disaster
situation, to assess the relief needs and to express sympathy and
solidarity to the people. The Ministry of Civil Affairs will continue to
pay close attention to the development of the disaster situation and to do
its utmost in disaster relief work in order to ensure a stable social
environment in flood-affected areas.
International Response
8. OCHA Geneva, through its delegate in Beijing, is in close contact with
the United Nations Resident Coordinator and the United Nations Disaster
Management Team (UNDMT) in China to monitor the development of the
situation.
9. This situation report and further information on ongoing emergencies
are also available on the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int
Telephone number: +41-22-917 12 34
In case of emergency: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10
Desk Officers: Ms. S. Metzner-Strack/Mr. R. Mueller/Ms. M. Kondo,
OCHA Disaster Response Branch, direct Tel. +41-22-917 21 44 / 917-31 31
/ 917 19 97
Press contact: Ms. E. Ponomareva, direct Tel. +41-22-917 23 36
Telex: 414242 OCHA CH
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: info@dha.unicc.org
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