Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan Tuesday urged Beijing and other cities to improve their urban planning and increase their disaster prevention and control capability.

The call came as downpours caused casualties and traffic jams in some major cities earlier this month.

The vice-premier said all localities and departments should increase their investment in urban infrastructure concerning water supply and drainage, energy and telecommunications, and improve their comprehensive disaster prevention system and rapid reaction mechanism to protect the life and property of the general public.

Beijing, as the capital of China, should constantly improve its urban construction and management capability, said the vice-premier, who inspected the city Tuesday.

A sudden strong rainstorm that hit Beijing on July 10 caused the collapse of five houses and injured three people in addition to traffic jams in downtown areas.

According to statistics from the city's anti-flood and drought headquarters office, the rainstorm toppled 59 trees and water seeped into 4,698 houses. Media reports say hundreds of cars were soaked by the floodwater.

The July 10 downpour represented a severe test of Beijing's infrastructure and rapid-reaction capability, said Zeng.

He said the Beijing Municipal government moved swiftly to minimize the damage caused by the downpour, and prepared for more such bad weather conditions.

(Xinha News Agency July 21, 2004)