The torrential rain that started to fall on Friday in central China's Hubei Province has left 754 reservoirs in the region exceeding flood storage capacities.
Due to increased discharge from the Three Gorges Reservoir and recent heavy rainfall, water levels in the Hubei section of the Yangtze River and in smaller rivers within the province are expected to rise in the coming days.
Multiple areas in Hubei, including Wuhan, Yichang, Jingmen, Xiaogan, and 11 other cities and prefectures, have also experienced heavy rainfall since Friday.
The heavy rainfall caused waterlogging in a low-lying residential area in Xiaogan City on Saturday, trapping several residents in their homes. Rescue personnel then used rescue boats to evacuate the flood-stranded residents to safety.
In Wuhan City, heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds caused multiple power line failures across the city. After nearly two hours of emergency repairs, power supply has been fully restored.
The heavy rainfall also caused the water level of Maojiahe Reservoir in Xingshan County, Yichang City, to rise rapidly. Considering the possibility of continued heavy rainfall, the reservoir started to discharge floodwater at 13:00 Saturday.
"We've quickly organized personnel to initiate emergency plans, notify every household, set up roadblocks on major transportation routes, and prohibit people and vehicles from entering the areas of flood discharge channels," said Cai Bishou, head of Pingshui Village, Gufu Town, Yichang City's Xingshan County.
Heavy rainfall in Hubei leaves 754 reservoirs exceeding flood storage capacities
Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), held talks with speaker of the Finnish parliament Jussi Halla-aho in Beijing on Monday, to discuss relations between their two countries.
Noting this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Finland, Zhao said China stands ready to work together with Finland to deliver on the important consensus reached between the top leaders of the two countries, and promote continuous development of the China-Finland future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership.
China is further deepening reform comprehensively and expanding high-standard opening up, which will bring new opportunities for bilateral cooperation, Zhao said, noting China is willing to make joint efforts with Finland to expand win-win cooperation and cement public support for bilateral relations.
China hopes that Finland will continue to play a positive role in boosting mutual promotion and common development of China-Finland relations and of relations between China and the European Union (EU), Zhao said.
Zhao said that the NPC is ready to carry forward the traditional friendship and implement close exchange and cooperation with the Finnish parliament.
As China and Finland each have their own characteristics in national governance and development concepts, the national legislatures of the two countries can learn from each other and play their legislative and supervisory roles to create a sound and stable legal environment for practical cooperation between the two countries, he said.
For his part, Halla-aho said that Finland stays committed to the one-China policy, noting the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China.
On the basis of mutual respect and trust, Finland is willing to promote practical bilateral cooperation, safeguard free trade and tackle common challenges, said Halla-aho, noting that the Finnish parliament hopes for enhanced exchange with China's NPC, so as to play a positive role in deepening the relations between Finland and China.
China's top legislator holds talks with Finland's parliament speaker on relations
