China has plans to build a severe weather alert system in order to send emergency information to people in time for preventive measures, revealed the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) on August 14.

The system will be able to send out emergency messages to more than 80 million mobile phone users, including 640,000 rescue workers who specialize in flood-related services. The system also targets public televisions, most of which are set up in crowded business centers or buses. Satellites will be used to send emergency warnings to mountain and pastoral areas where ordinary information technologies have difficulty reaching citizens.

"The global warming in the next 100 years poses a great threat to our ecological system and living environment. As a country frequently attacked by bad weather, China needs to bolster its weather alert system to tackle climate changes," said Zheng Guoguang, administrator of the CMA.

Torrential rains hit several parts of China in recent months, claiming many lives and causing devastating economic losses. The National Development and Reform Commission issued the National Climate Change Program on June 4 to tackle severe problems brought on by climate changes. The program was passed by the State Council and took effect last month.

The Link: http://www.china.org.cn/english/environment/213624.htm

(China.org.cn by Wu Jin, August 15, 2007)