Carrying out flood disaster rescue work while preventing COVID-19 infections is proving to be one of the biggest challenges for local authorities in Mianning County, southwest China's Sichuan Province.

According to Lu Zhen, the Party secretary of Yihai Town of the county, pressure is mounting due to the high and concentrated number of people living at temporary shelters.

"As of the latest count, there are over 800 people living at this one resettlement site alone, with the peak passing over a thousand people," Lu said.

"Plus, the number of people here is increasing day by day. Migrant workers are returning upon hearing their hometown was hit by a disaster, while those temporarily seeking shelter at their relatives' places are also moving back."

Most people were relocated to resettlement sites on June 27 midnight after a heavy downpour the previous night caused floods.

The torrential downpours killed 14 people while eight others are missing in Mianning County. Search and rescue operations are still underway. As of Tuesday, a total of 5,660 people from 1,778 households have been resettled.

"It's been raining and continues to rain everyday. We are worried the number of flood victims will increase, adding pressure to resettlement sites," Lu said.

"We are currently getting technical teams to check on the conditions of homes so that villagers can return if they're safe. If not, the government will partially subsidize them to relocate to new homes."

Lu added that the local government is also helping to clean the homes of villagers, while also improving its early warning systems for weather forecast and disaster management. 

COVID-19 prevention and control measures

Ensuring flood victims don't get infected by the coronavirus is one of the local government's top priorities.

Lu said the entire resettlement site is disinfected three times a day. "We also manage the entry and exit of people very tightly. We check the body temperature of whoever who enters the site," he said.

Chen Feng, a nurse with Caogu Town Health Center assigned for the resettlement site added that migrant workers who returned have to do a nucleic acid test and be quarantined for two weeks at a nearby location.

"As for those living at this resettlement, we test their body temperature, all of them, two to three times a day," she said.

"We are carrying out both disaster rescue and epidemic prevention work simultaneously. Thus the burden is definitely higher."

The Yi people, one of China's 56 ethnic minority groups, make up most, if not all, of the resettlers in Mianning County.

Lu said basic necessities have been ensured for all people at the resettlement site. This includes tents, foldable beds, quilts and other emergency aid materials. Mobile toilets have also been available.

"It's our local practice here to have just two meals a day. So twice a day, we get packed meals from restaurants in town and distribute them to resettlers here," he said.

Ahe Alamu, an 85-year old villager said he is thankful that village leaders noticed him to leave the night of the heavy rains. He was taken to a safe place.

"I'm 85 years old and have seen many floods. But this one is the worst I've ever seen. On the night of June 26, I heard a loud thunder and there was water everywhere. I didn't sleep all night and was afraid," he said.

While his home still stands in one piece, he continues to stay at the resettlement site for safety.