Residents in north China's floods-affected areas gradually return home

SHIJIAZHUANG, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Residents in Zhuozhou City, north China's Hebei Province, have begun to return home as the water level of the waterlogging areas declines significantly, local authorities said Sunday.

More than 200 local households that had to relocate to safer places due to the floods have already returned to their homes in Baita Village, Zhuozhou.

Currently, the villagers are busy dredging and disinfecting the surrounding environment to prevent possible disease spread as the floods recede.

Zhuozhou is one of the worst-affected areas in Hebei. Local authorities in Zhuozhou have done on-site medical rescue work, providing first aid and medical services to the affected people.

Hebei provincial authorities have sent personnel, electric generators, water transporting vehicles, and the like to Zhuozhou in the face of emergency water and electricity demands.

Two temporary water supply stations set up in Zhuozhou have produced 700 tonnes of water, helping alleviate the water usage difficulties of the locals. As of 7 a.m. Sunday, 93 residential communities in Zhuozhou have resumed electricity supply, and over 90 percent of the communities in the city proper have restored power supply.