The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said Saturday nearly 7,700 local residents had been moved from two areas used to diverse floodwater when floods hit two tributaries of the Huaihe River after days of heavy rain.

No casualties have been reported during the mass relocation, which was carried out in Henan Province, central China.

From Friday to Saturday, downfalls and rainstorms hit areas between the Yellow River and Huaihe River, resulting in big floods in Shaying and Hongru rivers, two tributaries of the Huaihe River.

To ensure the safety of the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway and cities downstream, the Henan Provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters decided to open brakes to divert floodwater into two flood diversion areas.

The two areas can hold 407 million cubic meters of diverted floodwater and have a combined population of 174,500 people.

More than 89,000 people have rushed to the frontline to fight against the floods and the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has dispatched a working group to the spot for direction.

According to weather forecast, rain may continue along the Yellow River and Huaihe River valleys, as well as the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, in the coming two days.

The Huaihe River, one of the seven major rivers in China, last year experienced the most severe flood since 1954, which claimed 16 lives and affected millions of residents, bringing more than 18 billion yuan of economic losses.

(Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2004)