Beijing will take all necessary steps to protect hospitals
designated exclusively for SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome)
patients from possible flooding, a senior central government
official said Friday.
"China readjusts its contingency plan for flood prevention every
year, in accordance with the actual circumstances. This year we
have taken into full account the impact of SARS on flood prevention
work," said Zhang Zhitong, deputy executive director of the Office
of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.
In
Beijing, one of the worst hit regions in the SARS outbreak,
contingency plans have been worked out for flood prevention in and
around Xiaotangshan of the suburban Shunyi County, where the
largest designated hospital for SARS patients is located.
"Precautionary measures were also taken in other major local
hospitals to ensure the disease won't spread this flood season,"
Zhang said.
He
said with existing flood prevention facilities, Beijing was
actually in quite a safe position this summer.
"The Yongding River is of critical importance to Beijing's flood
prevention work," said Zhang. "Now we have made detailed plans for
handling all kinds of flooding on this river, and the river's
embankments are fortified to withstand the worst possible
floods."
Nevertheless, Zhang warned against the possibility of "internal
water logging" in Xiaotangshan Hospital and other SARS hospitals in
the rainy season.
"Heavy and persistent rainfall in certain areas could lead to
problems in the hospitals' drainage systems, and affect their SARS
fighting efforts," he said. "This must be prevented and properly
dealt with."
Weather forecasts show that north China will see heavy rainfall
from June to August.
(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2003)
