Xi urges better disaster preparedness as floods, landslides hit China

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for improving the country's ability to prevent, mitigate and respond to natural disasters, after a string ​of deadly floods and landslides this summer.

Xi's remarks, published on Saturday ‌in Qiushi, a journal central to Communist Party messaging, follow China's strongest typhoon this year and a series of landslides that killed dozens, underscoring the growing toll ​of extreme weather on the world's second-largest economy.

"As global warming continues, ​extreme weather events and disasters such as torrential rains, floods, ⁠typhoons, and droughts are increasing significantly, exacerbating their destructive impact," Xi said, ​according to the article.

Xi urged a shift towards pre-disaster prevention, stronger monitoring ​and early-warning systems, and efforts to close gaps in flood-control and drainage infrastructure in northern China, the article said. His remarks were drawn from a speech delivered at ​a Politburo study session on April 28.

China's strongest typhoon this year battered the ​capital with bouts of intense rain that flooded key roads and stranded vehicles, while ‌lashing ⁠wide swathes of the country.

Last month, landslides triggered by flash floods in northwestern Gansu province killed 25 people, and another landslide in Chongqing in the southwest caused by a collapsed mountain left 51 dead.

China is increasingly battling destructive weather that ​scientists link to ​climate change, especially ⁠this year, as an emerging El Niño pattern boosts temperatures and fuels more frequent and intense typhoons.

China will "continuously ​improve our ability and level of prevention and response ​to various ⁠natural disasters, and effectively safeguard the lives and property of the people and social stability," Xi said.

Xi said disaster risks must not be allowed to ⁠spill into ​economic, energy, food and social security, and ​urged the use of technologies including artificial intelligence, drones and satellite remote sensing in rescue ​efforts.

-Reuters