The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (SFCDRH) announced that the eighth tropical storm Saomai is heading northwestward towards China at 20 kilometers per hour and shall land at Zhejiang and Fujian provinces around this Thursday.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Bopha, the ninth of its kind to hit China this year, is approaching the mainland and may make landfall in Fujian Province.

Frequent tropical storms this year bring heavy rains or rainstorms to the country, and heighten water level of rivers and storage of reservoirs. Heavy rains also cause damages to water structures that enhance the difficulty of flood control.

E Jingping, the State-Secretary of SFCDRH and vice minister of water resources, has warned to make preparation for the happening of big floods and ensure the safety of reservoirs.

Provinces of Fujian, Zhejiang and Guangdong as well as the Pearl River Flood Control Headquarters are requested to strengthen preparation for floods, while Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality, where have no rain for two months successively, are requested to carry out emergency water diversion or well digging for safeguarding water supply.

SFCDRH will soon allocate funds to the local government for flood control and drought relief.

(mwr.gov.cn August 9, 2006)