Chinese PLA conducts "Joint Sword-2024B" drills surrounding Taiwan island

China

Chinese PLA conducts "Joint Sword-2024B" drills surrounding Taiwan island

2024-10-14 07:56 Last Updated At：14:07

The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Monday organized its troops of army, navy, air force and rocket force to conduct "Joint Sword-2024B" drills in the Taiwan Strait and the north, south and east of the island of Taiwan, said a spokesperson.

Li Xi, spokesperson for the theater command, said the drills involve vessels and planes closing in on the island from multiple directions and assaults by joint forces.

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Chinese PLA conducts "Joint Sword-2024B" drills surrounding Taiwan island

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Chinese PLA conducts "Joint Sword-2024B" drills surrounding Taiwan island

The drills focus on joint sea-air combat readiness patrol, the blockade and control of key ports and areas, strikes on sea and land targets, and the seizure of comprehensive battlefield control, so as to test the joint real-combat capabilities of the forces of the command, Li said.

The drills are a powerful deterrent to the separatist activities of "Taiwan independence" elements, and are legitimate and necessary actions to safeguard national sovereignty and national unity, Li said.

Floodwaters linger in Florida's hard-hit area days after Hurricane Milton's landfall

2024-10-14 12:29 Last Updated At：13:07

Floodwaters in Lithia, a severely affected area in the southeastern U.S. state of Florida by Hurricane Milton, have not receded yet even four days after the landfall of the hurricane.

Milton hit the west-central coast of Florida as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday night, bringing strong winds, destructive tornadoes, and heavy rains before weakening to a Category 1 as it swiftly barreled across central Florida.

Lithia, situated southwest of Tampa, bore the brunt of the hurricane as it was right in the the path of Milton.

The heavy rainfall triggered by Milton swelled local rivers, resulting in flooding and the submersion of numerous homes, with many areas in Lithia still drenching in floodwaters.

"Milton came through and wrecked it. The storm didn't do too much of the flooding after the fact. About 12 hours after the storm, the water was in my backyard, didn't think it was going to get much higher 36 hours after the storm. Way better than a lot of people behind me, hopefully they're okay behind. But yeah, I got my neighbors. I think they got probably four or five, maybe six feet of water in the house, that yellow house over there," said Vladimir, a resident affected by the floods in Lithia.

Vladimir also said that they have not received any government assistance so far, with only local community organizations offering some food and water to the affected residents.

In parts of western and central Florida, river levels may continue to rise, with multiple areas still under flood alerts.

Rescue agencies caution that the floods are likely to impede the progress of post-disaster relief efforts. By Sunday afternoon, over 840,000 households in Florida were still without power, with almost 30 percent of gas stations unable to provide fuel.

Milton is the fifth hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast so far in 2024, with three of them striking Florida.