Emergency operations to reinforce the dikes on the Dongliao River in northeast China's Liaoning Province are busy underway to prevent hidden dangers of possible leaking or even collapse after the water level on it rose above the warning line on Saturday due to incessant heavy rainfall since late July.
By 18:00 on Saturday, emergency workers mobilized by the local government repaired eight dikes with a length of 5,072 meters that are likely to leak water and reinforced dikes that are not high enough to combat floods. A new 2.5-kilometer-long dike has been built to fend off hidden risks in advance.
"We are working to strengthen patrols along the river and clear weeds on both the upper and lower sides of the dikes. We will immediately inform the authorities and take measures accordingly once we spot any weak points," said Dong Long, mayor of Sanjiangkou Township in Tieling City, Liaoning Province.
The Liaohe River basin might be battered by another round of heavy rainfall from Aug 4 to 5, according to the local meteorological authorities. Prevention efforts for flood are needed as the water levels on many rivers in the basin are likely to rise above the warning line.
The Liaohe River, flowing through Hebei Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in north China and Jilin and Liaoning Province in northeast China, is one of China's seven largest rivers. The Liaohe River basin is renowned for its status as a significant agricultural and industrial powerhouse.
Dike reinforcement busy underway in flood-hit northeast China's Liaoning
Dike reinforcement busy underway in flood-hit northeast China's Liaoning
Multiple handheld pager explosions struck Beirut and the southeastern and northeastern regions of Lebanon on Tuesday, leading to a temporary internet shutdown in the southern suburbs of the capital city, according to China Media Group (CMG) reporter Ci Xiaoning.
"I am currently at the entrance of a major hospital in Beirut, Lebanon's capital. Around 15:30 today, there were several explosions in the southern suburbs of Beirut. My Lebanese colleague, who lives very close to the area, experienced an immediate loss of internet connectivity. Reports have since confirmed that many handheld pagers were involved in the explosions," Ci reported outside a hospital in Beruit.
Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad confirmed that the explosions resulted in at least nine deaths and about 2,800 injuries, with approximately 200 people in critical condition. The injured are being transferred to hospitals.
In a statement, Hezbollah said it is conducting security and scientific investigations to identify the reasons behind these explosions, adding that the group is "at the highest level of readiness to defend Lebanon and its people."
In a separate statement, the Shiite group blamed Israel for "this criminal attack," vowing to retaliate.
The Lebanese Council of Ministers stressed that the government, shortly after the deadly explosions, began contacting the concerned countries and the United Nations to hold the perpetrators accountable.
Israel has yet to comment on Tuesday's blasts. According to media reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held a security assessment meeting at the HaKirya military base in Tel Aviv on Tuesday to address the implications of the explosions.
CMG reporter says internet shutdown following deadly pager blasts in Lebanon
