Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged local governments and Party members to take responsibility in flood-triggered disaster prevention and relief work as large parts of China were reeling from the worst floods in decades.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

It is the third instruction from Xi on natural disaster control and prevention in less than three weeks. 

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Xi tells local govts to put people's lives 'front and center' in disaster mitigation

Xi Jinping calls for all-out efforts in flood control to ensure people's lives and safety

Since the flood season began in June, a total of 433 rivers, as well as major lakes like Dongting, Poyang and Taihu, have risen beyond their warning levels, according to a release by the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) on July 13.

As many as 33 rivers have risen to their highest levels in history.

The MWR said the current trends remain grim on the Yangtze River and Taihu Lake basins, and the belt of heavy rain that has lashed central China would eventually head north.

The Ministry of Emergency Management said since June the average rainfall has broken its record since in 1961, and 141 people were dead or missing, with economic losses at around 60 billion yuan (8.57 billion U.S. dollars).

Xi said governments at all levels as well as Party members should be mobilized in fighting the floods and they should pull all out to ensure the safety of people's lives and property.

Xi emphasized that flood prevention and disaster relief are related to people's safety and lives, food security, economic and social security and national security.

It's very important to handle flood prevention and disaster relief work properly, Xi said, as China will build a moderately prosperous society in all respects and win the battle against poverty by the end of this year.

As northern China will enter its rainy season, Xi asked relevant departments and local governments to strengthen coordination in flood control.

During the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on May 19, Xi warned of potential damage and economic losses as the country was about to enter a flood season and asked relevant departments and local governments to overcome difficulties and race against time to repair reservoirs and store enough disaster supplies so as to protect people's lives and property.

The meeting on Friday urged governments at all levels to put people's lives and property first, and local authorities should carefully plan production resumption and help people get back to their normal lives as soon as possible.

(Cover: Evacuating flood-stranded people with a rubber boat in Jingdezhen City, east China's Jiangxi Province, July 8, 2020. /Xinhua)