Continuous efforts have been made in reconstruction work in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province after severe rainstorms and flooding affected the area in late July and early August.

The work is aimed at ensuring that local residents live in comfort and that their homes remain heated during the winter.

Book warehouses and distributors in Zhuozhou, Hebei province, badly hit by heavy flooding in August have successfully resumed the majority of normal operations.

Zhuozhou, a county-level city about 70 kilometers southwest of Beijing, is a major hub in northern China for book sales and logistics, and boasts a large number of book warehouses.

Flood-hit places in North China's Hebei province have been making all-out efforts to accelerate post-disaster reconstruction work, to try and ensure students return to school as scheduled and businesses resume production as soon as possible.

"I didn't expect we could go back to school on time because the flood had ruined so many facilities, including our school," said Li Xintao, a student at Baoding Wutan Center High School in Zhuozhou, which was one of the cities in Hebei hardest-hit by floods earlier this month.

Damage in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region could have been a lot worse, officials say

Reservoirs in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region played remarkable roles in alleviating disasters as the most devastating floods in six decades raged across the region in late July and early August, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

BEIJING -- Chinese authorities said Saturday they will ensure that residents affected by disasters can return home or resettle in new homes as soon as possible.

During a video conference, the office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management said that the main flood season continues, and that the flood and drought situations in China's various regions remain "very complicated."

BEIJING -- The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management on Saturday pre-allocated another 1 billion yuan (about 139 million U.S. dollars) as part of the central government's support for disaster relief work in regions affected by flooding.

The finance ministry said in a statement on its website that the new funding will mainly support relief work for residents severely affected by disasters, including those in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and in Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces.

It was two days since Yun Peng, 31, helped rescue hundreds of people who were stranded on a train for two days due to flood, but his nerves were still frazzled.

Yun was working as a deputy track foreman on the Yanchi section railway in Mentougou district of Beijing.

Some villagers in Beijing's Mentougou district were allowed to return to their homes on Tuesday, after being evacuated to escape the recent severe flooding brought by historic torrential rain.

After assessing the damage with their own eyes, many said it was clear that it will take time for them to rebuild their homes and for their villages to return to what they once were.

Authorities are suggesting that farmers tap the potential of "courtyard economy" to bolster their financial standing as torrential rains have hit many northern provinces in recent months, inundating grain fields and bringing new burdens to many vulnerable families.

The National Rural Revitalization Administration on Thursday published on its website a readout of a recent meeting convened by the agency's director Zhao Huanxin, who is also a vice-minister of agriculture and rural affairs.

Road cleanup and village disinfection work is underway in Tanzhesi town, Mentougou district of Beijing, in the aftermath of the severe floods caused by torrential rains brought by Typhoon Doksuri.

A total of 47 percent of the town's villages were severely affected. As of Aug 9, all village roads in the surrounding area have been repaired and reopened. Power supplies and network access have also been restored. Efforts to repair water supply pipelines in some villages are ongoing.

Farmers receive early payments, field drainage underway, experts sent in

Post-disaster recovery and reconstruction work is proceeding well in Wuchang, Heilongjiang province, minimizing the impact of the recent flooding, especially on local farmers' livelihoods, according to senior officials.

Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong outlined the work that needed to be done when he made a research trip to Wuchang on Sunday and Monday.

With floodwaters gradually receding in Zhuozhou, Hebei province, owners of publishing warehouses have begun tallying their losses and salvaging books not left waterlogged.

The flooding, caused by recent torrential rains, has caused estimated losses of more than 10 billion yuan ($1.37 billion) for the book industry alone in the city, with warehouses filled with soggy books.

Some residents in North China's Hebei province who suffered large losses in the recent flooding have received their first round of government compensation as targeted efforts are made to return their lives to normal.

A total of 1.19 billion yuan ($164 million) has been transferred to accounts of residents in more than 700 villages in Xingtai, Baoding, Langfang and Hengshui cities, according to Li Na, deputy head of the Hebei Department of Water Resources, Hebei Daily reported on Monday.

BEIJING -- Chinese authorities on Monday held a video conference to discuss the country's rain, flooding, drought and geological disaster situations.

The meeting was co-organized by the office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management, and was joined by the China Meteorological Administration, the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Some residents of Hebei province who suffered great losses in the recent flooding disaster have received their first round of government compensation as every effort is made to help them return to normal production and order of life.

A total of 1.19 billion yuan ($164 million) has been transferred to accounts of residents in more than 700 villages in cities of Xingtai, Baoding, Langfang and Hengshui, according to Li Na, deputy head of the Hebei Department of Water Resources, according to a report by Hebei Daily on Monday.

BEIJING -- China will enhance credit support for infrastructure reconstruction and upgrading in disaster-stricken areas to help people and businesses tide over difficulties, the National Administration of Financial Regulation said on Monday.

Transportation, telecommunication, gas and power supply, water conservation, and waterlogging prevention projects will be provided more lending support, the NAFR added.

More than 33,300 residents of Tianjin's Wuqing and Beichen districts who had been transferred to safe areas in the wake of flooding caused by Typhoon Doksuri in late July, have now returned to their hometowns.

They were the first group of residents to be relocated and have been trickling back home since Friday. Tianjin relocated and resettled 86,484 residents.

Southern provinces less affected by the latest round of flooding are being called upon to step up vegetable production this winter using idled farmlands and increase the shipping of greens to the north to fill in the gap of supply that could possibly be induced by heavy deluges affecting large areas in the north, according to Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

In a media release on its website, the ministry on Monday urged immediate efforts to drain flooded fields as part of broader attempts to stabilize vegetable supply this winter, saying that the heavy downpours induced by typhoon Duksuri have caused serious flooding in areas including North China, Northeast China and the grain growing areas to south of the lower reaches of Yellow River.

Northeast stays on alert as strong winds, heavy rains expected in coming days

Measures have been taken to limit flooding in Tianjin and the northeastern provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang after Typhoon Khanun made landfall in Liaoning on Friday, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Sunday.0

At least 21 people have been killed and six are missing after a flash flood and landslides triggered by heavy rain struck Weiziping village in the outskirts of Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province in Northwest China, according to the city's bureau of emergency management on Sunday.

The disasters struck Weiziping in the Chang'an district shortly after 6 pm on Friday. The village is located on the northern slope of the Qinling Mountains.

BEIJING -- Chinese authorities on Saturday held a video conference to discuss the rain, water and geological disaster situations, as well as the residual influences of Typhoon Khanun.

The meeting was co-organized by the office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management, and was joined by the China Meteorological Administration, the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

BEIJING -- China on Saturday evening issued an orange alert for mountain torrents.

From 8 p.m. Saturday to 8 p.m. Sunday, mountain torrents are highly likely to occur in certain areas of Liaoning and Jilin, northeast provinces of China, according to the orange alert issued by the Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration.

Mudslides and flooding in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province have killed two people and have left a further 16 others missing, Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday, citing local emergency authorities.

The disaster hit Weiziping village, Chang'an district of the city, shortly after 6 pm on Friday. Four trapped people have been rescued.

CHANGCHUN/SHENYANG -- Typhoon Khanun, the sixth typhoon of this year, threatens to pack torrential rains and disrupt passenger train services in China's northeastern provinces Saturday and Sunday, local authorities said.

The meteorological bureau of Jilin Province has forecast heavy rain in seven cities, including the provincial capital Changchun. The central and southern parts of the province expect more precipitation, with a maximum volume of 40 millimeters per hour, it warned.?

North China's Hebei province is set to undergo a two-year reconstruction effort following the recent downpours and devastating flooding that led to 29 deaths and 16 still missing, according to senior local officials on Friday.

"We will make concerted efforts to rebuild our homes together step by step," Zhang Chengzhong, head of the province's flood control and drought relief headquarters, said at a news conference on Friday, adding that rescue workers are still searching for the missing people.

CHANGCHUN -- A total of 23,000 residents in Shulan, a city in northeast China's Jilin Province, have been evacuated to escape flooding caused by heavy rainfall due to Typhoon Khanun.

The residents are from 20 different townships, and more than 4,000 of them have already been transferred to 62 makeshift venues since Wednesday, according to the city's flood control headquarters.

BEIJING -- Chinese authorities have intensified flood relief and reconstruction efforts, working tirelessly to swiftly restore normalcy to the lives and production of flood-affected regions.

China on Friday earmarked 1.46 billion yuan (about 204 million U.S. dollars) to provide relief to people severely affected by recent floods and ensure their basic needs are met, according to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management.

SHIJIAZHUANG -- North China's Hebei Province activated a Level III emergency response for major meteorological disasters at 11:00 a.m. on Friday as a new round of torrential rain is expected to lash the province from Friday to Saturday, local authorities said.

The provincial meteorological observatory continued to issue a yellow alert for heavy rain at 5:26 p.m. on Friday. Some parts of Hebei Province are expected to see heavy rainfall, with precipitation amounting to 200 millimeters from Friday afternoon to Saturday daytime.

Hebei province is set to undergo a two-year reconstruction effort following significant damage caused by the recent heavy downpours and flooding.

In anticipitation of the next flood season, which usually spans from July to August, the province aims to complete the restoration of flood control facilities destroyed by floodwater, according to Zhang Chengzhong, head of the province's flood control and drought relief headquarters. His statements were made during a news conference Friday morning.

Several flood detention areas in Hebei province helped divert and store 4.12 billion cubic meters of floodwater since they were put into use earlier this month, local authorities said on Friday.

The province was hit hard by flooding last week as a result of heavy downpours triggered by Typhoon Doksuri.

To effectively divert and slow the rise of rivers, Hebei employed seven flood detention areas, including Langouwa and Dongdian.

BEIJING -- China on Friday earmarked 1.46 billion yuan (about $203.95 million) to provide relief to people severely affected by recent floods and ensure their basic livelihoods, according to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management.

The funds will be allocated to five provincial-level regions: Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Heilongjiang and Jilin.

As of Thursday, the recent heavy rainstorms have affected 3.88 million people in 110 counties and districts in Hebei province and resulted in 95.81 billion yuan ($13.25 billion) in direct economic losses, according to authorities in a news conference on Friday.

Based on preliminary statistics, the flood damaged 319,700 hectares of farmland. Besides, 40,900 houses collapsed and 155,500 more were severely damaged. It also damaged 1,150 kindergartens, primary and middle schools, and 1,871 medical institutions.

As of Thursday, 29 people were killed and another 16 people were still missing in disasters triggered by torrential rains in Hebei, according to data released in the news conference on Friday morning. 

Among the 29 deaths, six were previously reported as missing persons.

Tengfei Street in Zhuozhou, Hebei province, was cleared of floodwaters on Thursday after being inundated with deep water last week. Vehicles are now able to pass through the street normally, the local government said.

Three million cubic meters of water had been drained.

An inflatable boat was pierced by sharp objects under the water about a week ago as it was being used by a rescue team to evacuate residents from a flooded building in Zhuozhou, Hebei province, a city hit hard by recent heavy rainfall and flooding.

Lu Mei, 52, director of the Tianlong Rescue team from neighboring Shanxi province, said, "It was fortunate that the vessel didn't deflate before two of our rescue team brought several residents to safety."

The team, comprising more than 190 members, rushed to Zhuozhou on Aug 1 after hearing that people were trapped at home after their properties were partly submerged in floodwater, Lu said.

Volunteer responders should be trained for missions in treacherous waters

Rescue work in flood-stricken Zhuozhou, Hebei province, is almost complete, with civilian teams successively evacuated from the city. The local government is now busy tackling mud-dredging and disinfection work, and resettling those affected by the disaster.

BEIJING -- China's national observatory on Wednesday continued to issue a blue alert for Typhoon Khanun, the sixth typhoon of this year, which is expected to bring a new spell of rainfall to the country's northeastern provinces.

Due to the typhoon, heavy rains are expected to lash Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces beginning Thursday, with some areas likely to be hit by rainstorms, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

Beijing outlined the city's plans for post-disaster recovery and long-term development in response to the devastating typhoon-induced flooding, at a news conference on Wednesday in Beijing.

Xia Linmao, a member of the Beijing municipal standing committee and executive vice-mayor, said at the conference around the city's flood control and disaster relief, that the capital will achieve basic recovery in one year, comprehensive improvement within three years and long-term sustainable development in its post-disaster reconstruction.

The historic torrential rainfall from July 29 to Aug 2 in Beijing brought severe flooding, with the city's western mountainous areas hit hardest and sustaining significant damage, officials said at a news conference held on Monday.

A preliminary assessment found 369 reported geological disasters in the city — 10.5 times the average annual number, Vice-Mayor Xia Linmao said.

Beijing's flood control facility played an important role in response to the recent flood, Pan Anjun, director of Beijing Water Authority, said in a news conference on Wednesday. 

"Based on flood forecasting, Beijing prepared 18 million cubic meters of space in reservoirs, rivers and lakes for flood storage 36 hours in advance. Additionally, we fully utilized flood control facilities in different streams and banks, and directed the flood in an orderly way," said Pan.

Beijing's vice-mayor conveyed heartfelt gratitude towards individuals and parties who helped with flood prevention and disaster relief, including army officers, enterprises, and sister provinces and cities, for their support on Wednesday.

"Key central organizations swiftly dispatched assistance and extended substantial aid. Beijing's State-owned enterprises immediately engaged in urgent repairs and restoration of essential infrastructure in the affected regions. Members of the People's Liberation Army, the People's Armed Police Force, and dedicated firefighters exhibited extraordinary valor by rushing to the most perilous and demanding locations without hesitation," said Xia Linmao, vice-mayor of Beijing, at a press conference briefing the flooding emergency response and follow-up work on Wednesday.

As of Tuesday, 33 people had been killed and 18 others missing caused by the heavy downpour that hit Beijing between July 29 and Aug 2, a senior Beijing official said on Wednesday.

Xia Linmao, a member of the Beijing municipal standing committee and executive vice-mayor, said at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday that the deaths included five rescuers who sacrificed their lives in emergency rescue work during the disaster. 

Residents in the North China city of Zhuozhou, hit by heavy flooding last week, have started receiving compensation for their losses.

Villager Zhao Jianmin received a payout from his insurance company on Tuesday morning for his vegetable greenhouses that were destroyed by floodwaters last week.

Thunderstorms forecast as rescue operations, mopping up continue

A large area of Northeast China is facing a double blow after one typhoon wreaked havoc as it headed north, and another is headed the same way.

The People's Armed Police Hebei Corps has started clearing the roads in Zhuozhou, Hebei province, after the recent flood. The soldiers are using loaders, dump trucks, washers, sprayers, and water cannons to help local residents clear the mud and debris that has accumulated on the roads.

The clearing work is still ongoing, but some roads have already been reopened. The soldiers have also been working to search for and evacuate people who are still stranded in the floodwaters.

Measures in place to battle possible torrents, at-risk residents relocated

Tianjin has relocated more than 80,000 residents from flood-prone areas, as a large volume of upstream water flows toward the city, posing a major challenge to authorities to prevent damage.

Residents brought to safety in stricken areas of Hebei province

Editor's note: Amid torrential rainfall in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, our reporter rushed to Zhuozhou, Hebei province, where thousands of people were trapped in floodwaters and waiting for rescue. He recounts his conversations with rescuers and evacuated residents.

Zhuozhou city in North China's Hebei province has carried out extensive disinfection since the weekend after it was seriously flooded by heavy rainfall and overflow from nearby rivers.

A red cross rescue team from Huaibei city in Anhui province came to a local school in Zhuozhou on Monday to disinfect the campus and classrooms.

Residents evacuated from the flood in Zhuozhou, Hebei province, are asked not to return home without authorization as there are still risks for secondary disaster, local authorities said.

Water is receding after the homes of tens of thousands of people have been damaged by flooding since July 31, after Typhoon Doksuri brought a big rainstorm that swept across North China last week. However, during the recovery process, there is still danger of collapsing and contagion so residents should still remain cautions, according to a notice released by the publicity department of Zhuozhou on Sunday.