China has plans to build a severe weather alert system in order
to send emergency information to people in time for preventive
measures, revealed the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) on
August 14.
The system will be able to send out emergency messages to more
than 80 million mobile phone users, including 640,000 rescue
workers who specialize in flood-related services. The system also
targets public televisions, most of which are set up in crowded
business centers or buses. Satellites will be used to send
emergency warnings to mountain and pastoral areas where ordinary
information technologies have difficulty reaching citizens.
"The global warming in the next 100 years poses a great threat
to our ecological system and living environment. As a country
frequently attacked by bad weather, China needs to bolster its
weather alert system to tackle climate changes," said Zheng
Guoguang, administrator of the CMA.
Torrential rains hit several parts of China in recent months,
claiming many lives and causing devastating economic losses. The
National Development and Reform Commission issued the National
Climate Change Program on June 4 to tackle severe problems brought
on by climate changes. The program was passed by the State Council
and took effect last month.
The Link: http://www.h5a3.com/english/environment/213624.htm
(China.org.cn by Wu Jin, August 15, 2007)