China launches emergency response as typhoons approach

An emergency response plan to cope with two approaching typhoons was launched by the National Commission for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) on Wednesday. According to Xinhua, the NCDR has urged civil affairs offices in coastal provinces and the three central provinces of Henan, Hubei and Hunan to prepare for typhoons Tembin and Bolaven. Disaster relief material reserve agencies in eight major cities in coastal and central China have also been told to prepare. Civil affairs authorities at all levels have been told to track the locations of the storms and their development, and release warnings and disaster prevention messages to the public via media channels. Disaster relief agencies should work with railway and other transport departments and ensure relief materials arrive in time, the NCDR said. The NCDR has called for thorough safety checks in harbors, low-lying areas, mountainous regions, construction sites, schools and tourist attractions and asked local authorities to prepare shelters in case residents need to be relocated.