Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday visited flood-affected villagers in the city of Shangzhi, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, during which he stressed efforts to accelerate post-disaster reconstruction and ensure the safety of the affected people.

From late July to early August, several areas in northern and northeastern China experienced rare levels of rainfall and floods after Typhoon Doksuri and Typhoon Khanun moved inland, causing casualties and inflicting damage.

Xi's visit came as post-disaster restoration and reconstruction became pivotal in these regions now that the floodwater has receded.

Accelerating reconstruction

In early August, Shangzhi City suffered the largest rainfall recorded since 1957, which affected 79,000 people. The city, an important grain-producing area, had nearly 420,000 mu (28,000 hectares) of crops hit by the rainfall.

In the village of Longwangmiao, where Xi inspected, 58.8 percent of its cultivated land was damaged and 149 out of 193 permanent households in the area suffered home damage.

Xi walked through the fields of the village to check the impact of the flood on the rice crops. While walking along the streets, he inspected the work on the restoration of damaged houses and infrastructure.

Noting winter season comes earlier and lasts longer in the northeastern regions, Xi urged local authorities to carefully and thoroughly consider affairs related to people's daily life and work, and make plans and launch actions in advance.

He urged efforts to repair the damaged houses, accelerate the post-disaster reconstruction, minimize agricultural losses caused by the disaster, and ensure the safety of the affected people.

Visiting villagers' homes to learn about their losses and the supply of daily necessities, Xi encouraged them to bolster their confidence to overcome difficulties. He expressed the hope that they will soon be able to resume normal work and life, and that their lives will continue to improve.

Reinforcement of previous call

Xi's visit to Longwangmiao is a reinforcement of his call for post-disaster reconstruction work since the start of the country's flood season.

He gave instructions on flood prevention and disaster relief in early July, demanding authorities at all levels give top priority to ensuring people's safety. This came after continuous heavy rainfall hit regions including southwest China's Chongqing Municipality that caused heavy casualties and property losses.

During an inspection tour in southwest China's Sichuan Province in late July, he called for efforts to make preparations for flood control and disaster relief and minimize casualties and property losses to the greatest extent, as July and August mark the time the Yangtze River basin enters the main flood season.

On August 1, Xi gave a new instruction when extreme rainfall in north China and the regions along the Yellow and Huaihe rivers triggered floods and geological disasters and caused heavy casualties in Beijing and Hebei. 

The safety of the people's lives and properties, as well as social stability, must be ensured with utmost efforts, Xi stressed in the instruction.

Under Xi's instructions, Chinese authorities at all levels have launched massive rescue and relief efforts, and the central government has allocated more than 9.68 billion yuan (nearly $1.32 billion) in various flood prevention and relief funds for disaster-stricken areas since the beginning of this year's flood season.

As China has made significant achievements in flood prevention and disaster relief, a meeting was held by the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee in mid August to arrange further work on post-disaster recovery and reconstruction.

"In China, if the people encounter difficulties, we shall give full play to our socialist superiority, that is, when trouble occurs at one spot, help comes from all quarters, with the full support of the state," President Xi told Longwangmiao villagers.