Heavy rain affects 1.2 mln in China's Hunan, rescue efforts underway

CHANGSHA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- As of 7 a.m. on Thursday, heavy rainfall had affected over 1.2 million residents in central China's Hunan Province. In response, various resources have been mobilized for rescue and relief work.

The provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters said on Thursday that the area of damaged crops caused by Typhoon Gaemi has reached 127,000 hectares, and 96,500 people have been safely relocated.

As of Wednesday, the provincial aviation emergency rescue center deployed four helicopters to participate in rescue operations in Zixing City, one of the areas severely affected by the rainfall. A total of 258 flights have been conducted, transporting approximately 73 tonnes of supplies and transferring 92 injured individuals and pregnant women.

Currently, the province continues to maintain a Level II emergency response for flooding and a Level III emergency response for geological disasters. Rescue teams are still working tirelessly to address the ongoing impact of Typhoon Gaemi.

China has a four-tier emergency response system for flood control and geological disasters, with Level I being the most urgent response. ■