Rains prompt nationwide safety check

Torrential rainfall in different parts of China in recent days has triggered several secondary disasters, including a fatal bridge collapse, prompting transportation authorities to launch urgent nationwide inspections of roads and waterways to swiftly identify and mitigate risks.

The efforts are primarily aimed at safeguarding people's lives and property, as the country grapples with severe weather conditions.

On Friday evening, a highway bridge in Zhashui county, Shaanxi province, collapsed amid heavy rains, resulting in at least 15 deaths as 25 vehicles fell into the river. As of Tuesday, 28 people were still missing.

Flash floods that hit Malie village in Hanyuan county, Sichuan province, on Saturday claimed at least 14 lives, while 25 people were still unaccounted for as of Tuesday.

Transportation services have been severely disrupted in southern China, including the suspension of ferry operations between Beihai and a tourist island in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, as Typhoon Prapiroon made landfall along the coast of Wanning in Hainan province early on Monday.

Prapiroon, which is the fourth typhoon of the year, moved northwest and arrived in the Beibu Gulf by Tuesday, packing strong winds and bringing heavy rains to Hainan and Guangdong provinces as well as Guangxi.

As China enters a critical flood prevention period, authorities are intensifying efforts to identify and monitor hazards as well as strengthen early warning systems to effectively mitigate risks.

The China Meteorological Administration has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in several parts of the country, including in Gansu province, southern Ningxia Hui autonomous region and central Shaanxi province.

In response to these weather challenges, transportation authorities nationwide have launched comprehensive inspection campaigns to enhance road and waterway safety. These initiatives prioritize public safety through rigorous enforcement and monitoring protocols.

Provinces such as Sichuan, Hubei, Shaanxi, Henan and Hebei are making strong disaster prevention efforts that include identifying potential hazards in detail, monitoring situations in real time and strengthening emergency response capabilities.

Their focus areas include bridges, tunnels, roads near hazardous terrain and high-traffic routes, with emphasis on proactive risk mitigation strategies.

In Shaanxi, authorities are maintaining heightened vigilance in key risk areas, including roads, rivers and lakes with geological vulnerabilities.

In Sichuan, authorities have mandated a comprehensive inspection of all roads by early August to ensure establishment of thorough hazard registers.

Hebei has initiated a weeklong reinspection and risk mitigation campaign, deploying advanced technologies such as drones and geological radars for enhanced monitoring.

Meanwhile, Henan has conducted comprehensive flood prevention drills to bolster its emergency response capabilities.