Efforts enacted in Hebei to reduce rain damage and protect locals

More than 16,000 residents in Langfang, North China's Hebei province have been relocated to safety due to their homes being located in an area that is being used for storing and retarding floodwaters. This function began early on Tuesday after days of heavy rains battered the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

The Dongdian Floodwater Storage and Retarding Area sits at the northern and southern banks of Daqing River at the junction of Hebei and Tianjin municipality in the Haihe River basin, covering 379 square kilometers, of which 279 sq km are in Hebei.

Rainstorms and floods in recent days have hit waters in the basin, resulting in the water to increase flow in the upper areas of Daqing River and the river's water level to rise.

The increasing flood triggered authorities to discharge the floodwater to the storage area, according to China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

Wenan county in Langfang, which is the largest flood detention area in the Haihe River basin, has relocated 16,146 residents in eight villages along its Zhaowangxin River as of Sunday.

As of Monday, the river waters in the county were stable and no disasters occurred, Hebei Daily reported.

After entering the Dongdian flood storage area in Hebei, the floodwater from Daqing River will be slowed down and is expected to reach Tianjin around August 9, according to a report by China Media Group.

Two districts of Jinghai and Xiqing in Tianjin have started the relocation work to ensure the safety of local residents.

At Dongci village in Zhuozhou city of Hebei, which is along Baigou River, a tributary of Daqing River, the water level at its hydrological station reached 25.56 meters on Monday night and local authorities have issued an orange alert for flood as of Tuesday morning.

At the city's Matou town, more than 100 residents of a residential community were trapped at their houses on Monday night, a report in Southern Weekly said on Tuesday.

At 10 pm on Monday, a trapped resident told the weekly that the water in his house had flooded to the ceiling of the first floor, and he was taking refuge on the second floor. The water had stopped rising, the report said.

A worker from local government said they were overcoming difficulties to rescue the trapped residents.