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In spite of the most severe flooding of the Huaihe River since 1991, losses remain relatively low.

To date, 16 people have reported to be killed in the deluge of the Huaihe river, far fewer than in 1991, according to official statistics.

In addition, the area of land affected and the number of people victimized are both much lower than in 1991, said Zhang Zhitong, deputy head of the office of the State Flood and Drought Control Headquarters.

Preliminary statistics show that the flooding has incurred direct economic losses totaling 18.17 billion yuan (2.19 billion US dollars), with 47.518 million people victimized in east China's Anhui and Jiangsu provinces and central Henan province.

The Huaihe, one of China's major rivers, flows eastwardly and empties into the Yellow Sea after traversing the country's most populous regions. And a total of 165 million people are living in its vast valley.

In an interview with Xinhua, Wang Shucheng, Chinese minister of water resources and also deputy commander-in-chief of the State Flood and Drought Control Headquarters, said that effective management by the government and scientific flood control measures have given scope to a decisive role in the efforts to combat flooding on the Huaihe River this summer.

"We are well prepared for flooding this time," said Wang.

According to Wang, nine flood diversion and storage facilities have been put into operation, permitting the diversion or storage of 3.6 billion cu m of floodwater and greatly easing the pressure on flood control operations.

In the meantime, a host of reservoirs and newly-built waterways, including the man-made canal that connects the Huaihe River to the Yellow Sea, have all been used to battle the floods from the Huaihe River this summer.

"Scientific control in fighting floods requires improved infrastructure," said the deputy commander-in-chief of the State Flood and Drought Control Headquarters.

Since the occurrence of severe flooding on the Huaihe River in 1991, the government of China has stepped up its efforts to harness the river.

In addition to reinforcing dykes and embankments, governments at all levels have begun financing the building of a new waterway at the middle reaches of the Huaihe to divert floodwater, as well as a man-made canal to connect the Huaihe River to the Yellow River.

The flood control facilities, including the reinforced embankments and the man-made canal to the Yellow Sea, have withstood the tests of two flood crests.

Efficient and effective government management has limited the impact of flooding on residents, and local governments on both sides of the Huaihe have organized mass evacuations.

Thanks to the concerted efforts of civil affairs and public health departments, the evacuees are all leading normal lives, without being manaced by any outbreak of epidemic diseases in the flood-ravaged areas.

"The safety of our residents has always been our top priority," said another official from the State Flood and Drought Control Headquarters.

Chinese President Hu Jintao has urged officials to beef up flood fighting efforts, while Premier Wen Jiabao personaaly trekked to the flooded areas where he called on the victimized locals and expressed the concern and kind attention to them on behalf of the Party Central Committee and the central government.

The house of Wang Wensheng, a local farmer from Funan county, in east China's Anhui province, has been submerged by floodwater. "I am sure that our government won't let us go hungry or homeless, " said Wang.

Millions of residents evacuated to make way for flood diversion and storage will receive compensation and advice for home rebuilding.

The heavy deluge of the Huaihe River since late June has been considered a new challenge, following the recent crisis of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which the new Chinese central leadership must face up.

"Facts have eloquentely proven that our new government's management and emergency mechanism are efficient," said Wang Shucheng, deputy commander-in-chief with the State Flood and Drought Control Headquarters.

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