2016年CRI Measures Needed to Tackle More Heavy Rains in China

 

China Meteorological Administration says the ongoing¹ El Nino effect, which has been hitting its peak over the past year-and-a-half, is likely to come to an end this month.

However, Zhou Bing, a senior engineer from China's National Climate Center says this is no time for Chinese officials to relax.

"The El Nino effect stems from the ocean, and when it comes to how it will affect the climate in China, usually, it will take some time before the effect takes shape. China is a country which deals with monsoons², which means the amount of rain in the country varies from year to year. This year we have a challenging situation, especially in regions along the Yangtze River. Flooding is very likely to take place. "

For provinces along the Yangtze River, the memory of the catastrophic flooding in the summer of 1998 is still fresh in the minds of some.

At least 3-thousand people died that year in what some have described as the worst flooding in China in the 20th century.

Forecasters are suggesting that even though it is still unclear whether China might be in for the same this year, a lot of factors are pointing to a rainy season similar to the one in 1998.

More than 55-percent of China's population is now living in urban areas.

Urban flooding is becoming a major issue in Chinese cities, where much of the existing infrastructure³ isn't sufficient enough to handle heavy rains.

This is largely because of paved roads and new buildings which don't allow rainwater to be absorbed into the ground, leading to flash floods.

More than 100 cities across China are now dealing⁴ with annual flooding problems.

Professor Li Jing, an expert on natural disaster management at Beijing Normal University, says there are steps to be taken.

"You know some green areas in cities can't be developed. As such, we can restructure these areas by digging deeper underground to allow the areas to store more rain water. This is a relatively⁵ simple process. Gradually, the materials used for building paved roads and other urban areas should also be improved. It is possible to increase their water permeability."

Chinese authorities developed the concept for a so-called "Sponge City" in 2012.

The core idea is to make a city like a sponge so that itwill be capable of absorbing up to 70-percent of the water brought down during a single rainfall.

So far, 30 cities in China are being retrofit to try to prevent flash-flooding.

Beyond civil engineering, its being suggested a new warning system might need to be established.

China has a four-tier color-coded warning system for severe weather, with red being the most serious, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

However, a survey once conducted by the Beijing Daily shows nearly 70-percent of those asked in Beijing don't know what the different colors mean.

Professor Li Jing says authorities also need to change the way the warnings are released.

"For ordinary people, what really matters is the depth of the rain water that will accumulate on the roads. Right now there are warnings for potential flooding. However, they aren't specific enough when it comes to the depth of the water commuters may have to face. We need to let the public know which roads are flooded and which ones aren't."

Since March, China's southern and southwestern areas have been hit by over a dozen major showers.

This has led to large-scale disruptions to air, road and rail traffic.

Some 9-thousand people became temporarily stranded⁶ last weekend after massive downpours shut down the main international airport in Sichuan's capital, Chengdu.

For CRI, this is Ding Heng.

1 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

2 monsoons   

n.（南亚、尤指印度洋的）季风( monsoon的名词复数 )；（与季风相伴的）雨季；（南亚地区的）雨季

参考例句：

• In Ban-gladesh, the monsoons have started. 在孟加拉，雨季已经开始了。 来自辞典例句
• The coastline significantly influences the monsoons in two other respects. 海岸线在另外两个方面大大地影响季风。 来自辞典例句

3 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

6 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。