Chinese Premier visits mudslide-hit Sichuan

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C Front) inspects the situation along the Minjiang River during an inspection in mudslide-hit Yingxiu Township of Wenchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 23, 2010. Wen visited the mudslide-hit regions of Sichuan on Aug. 22 to 23. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited mudslide-hit regions in southwest China's Sichuan Province from Sunday to Monday, comforting disaster-affected people and speaking to army personnel involved in the relief work.
The province, still recovering from the massive earthquake of 2008, has been struck by a series of rainstorm-triggered mudslides since Aug. 12. About 540,000 people have been relocated.
On Monday, Wen reached Qingping township in Mianzhu city, where an estimated 6 million cubic meters of mud and rocks swept away 379 houses.
At Fu Xingcong's home, a villager living in Qipan village of the township, Wen praised him for sheltering homeless people.
"To go through the difficulties, we should work hand in hand and help each other," Wen said.
He then visited People's Liberation Army soldiers, armed police, fire fighters and volunteers who were working at Wenchuan county's Yingxiu town for relief work.
He urged local governments to resettle people, and ensure their daily needs. Blocked rivers should be cleaned, and basic infrastructure, such as roads and power facilities, should be rebuilt quickly.
The local governments should also organize experts to check disaster-prone areas in the region, and set up disaster monitoring and prevention systems, Wen said.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R Front) inspects the situation in a post-quake reconstruction site along the Minjiang River during an inspection in mudslide-hit Yingxiu Township of Wenchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 23, 2010. Wen visited the mudslide-hit regions of Sichuan on Aug. 22 to 23. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
Source: Xinhua