BEIJING, July 20 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all-out rescue and relief efforts to save people’s lives and property after the collapse of a road bridge in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, gave the orders after the bridge, in Zhashui county, Shangluo city, collapsed around 8:40 p. m. Friday due to flash flooding caused by heavy rains. Eleven other people were dead and more than 30 were missing as of 10 a. m. on Saturday.
The immediate priority is to carry out rescue operations, make every effort to search for the missing and minimize casualties, Xi said in his instructions, also calling for efforts to help the families of those affected.
Xi stressed the importance of well-planned rescue and the prevention of secondary disasters.
He insists that as the critical era of flood control approaches, it is imperative that the regions and departments concerned be very vigilant, carry out their tasks diligently, improve monitoring systems and early warning mechanisms, organize inspections and meticulously implement various measures to ensure safety. of people’s lives and property.
Premier Li Qiang, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, called for sparing no effort to search and rescue the missing, quickly investigate the causes and take measures to solve secondary disasters.
Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, headed a task force on the ground to advise on rescue efforts. ■