Beijing, Hebei speed up recovery while bracing for new round of intense rainfall

Authorities in Beijing and neighboring Hebei Province are stepping up disaster relief efforts while implementing robust flood prevention and control measures ahead of a new round of intense rainfall.

After being hit by recent heavy rainfall and ensued floods, Beijing and Hebei are still recovering.

In the suburban Miyun District in northern Beijing, one of the hardest-hit areas during the recent downpours, the local planning and natural resources departments are further investigating the damage caused by the recent flash floods using drone imagery and other technical data.

Such efforts are critical to identifying potential geological hazards and laying a solid foundation for safe, long-term post-disaster reconstruction.

Meanwhile, local authorities are advancing the repair and reinforcement of damaged homes and coordinating the resettlement of affected residents to ensure public safety and well-being.

Hebei Province is also speeding up recovery efforts. With key roads now restored, heavy machinery has been deployed to mountainous rural areas to support reconstruction.

In Luanping County of Hebei, large-scale dredging and debris removal operations are underway to clear blocked waterways and restore access to villages.

Efforts to revive agricultural production are intensifying across regions including Zhangjiakou and Baoding Cities in Hebei.

The Hebei Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has urgently dispatched over 5,000 tons of fertilizers and other agricultural supplies to the affected areas. Agricultural experts are also on-site, guiding farmers in post-flood field management and helping restore damaged crops and soil conditions to minimize losses.

As another round of heavy rainfall is expected, authorities are taking swift preventive actions. Beijing issued a red alert for heavy rainfall on Monday -- the highest in China's four-tier color-coded weather warning system -- and activated a citywide Level I emergency response against floods, the most severe level.

So far, more than 76,000 residents have been evacuated to other safe places.

Also on Monday, Hebei maintained a yellow rainstorm alert -- the third highest level. Meteorologists have predicted torrential downpours in parts of eastern Baoding, Xiong'an New Area, southern Langfang, and eastern Shijiazhuang in Hebei over the next two days.

In bracing for further heavy rainfall, local governments in Hebei launched emergency evacuations overnight. As of Monday, about 32,000 people in the province had been relocated to safer areas.

Beijing, Hebei speed up recovery while bracing for new round of intense rainfall

Voting for the second phase of Myanmar's multi-party democratic general election concluded on Sunday afternoon.

Voting began at 06:00 local time on Sunday. At 16:00, an election official at a polling station in Yangon's Latha township announced the closure of the polling station.

Following the closure, election staff at the polling station, in the presence of domestic and international media, candidates, and observers, counted the votes, including advance votes, for seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House), Amyotha Hluttaw (Upper House), and State and Region Hluttaws (State and Region Parliaments).

The second phase of the election was held in 100 townships across 12 of the 14 regions and states. In the Yangon region, it was held in 16 townships, including the townships of Latha, Bahan, Kyimyindaing and Kawhmu.

"We welcome the election, which is expected to bring new changes to the country," said a Yangon resident.

"I hope the parties can lead us and make it a better country, which is why I support the election," said another voter.

Myanmar's multi-party democratic general election is being held in three phases, with the first phase held in 102 townships on Dec 28 last year, and the third phase scheduled for Jan 25 this year in 63 townships.

"The parliament is scheduled to convene in March. Following the conclusion of the session, the new government will officially take office in April. We hope that more foreign investment will flow into Myanmar, enabling the public to enjoy the opportunities generated by the country's economic development more fully," said Zaw Min Tun, leader of the Information Team of Myanmar's National Defense and Security Council.

The Union Election Commission (UEC) said that about 5,000 candidates from 57 political parties are competing in the three phases of the election, adding that it plans to set up over 21,000 polling stations across the country for all three phases of the general election.

The election will produce the elected members of the Union Parliament (Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw) and State and Region Parliaments; the new Union Parliament will then elect a new president, who will form a new Union Government.

Voting for 2nd phase of Myanmar's general election concludes