Lessons On Dealing With Disasters For China Kids As Flood Toll Hits 103

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Before the school tragedy, China had reported at least 255 people killed in floods and storms since last month, which marked the start of the rainy season.

Beijing (AFP) Jun 16, 2005
Chinese authorities have told local education departments they must give children lessons on how to react in emergencies as the death toll from a school flash flood rose to 103 Thursday.

The Ministry of Education issued a circular that also told local administrative departments to put in place a system where someone in authority has responsibility during disasters, Xinhua news agency said.

The directive came as the death toll from a mountain torrent that swamped the Shalan Township Central Elementary School in Heilongjiang province last Friday rose to 103, including 99 children.

"We found the bodies of two more children yesterday and two more today. Six students remain missing," a spokesman for the disaster relief effort told AFP.

Villagers have complained that children were left to fend for themselves as torrents of muddy water engulfed the schoolyard, and that there was a lack of response by local officials.

Provincial governor Zhang Zuoji has indicated penalties could be imposed on some people for failing to respond quickly enough to the flood that occurred after a sudden rainstorm pummelled the narrow Shalan valley.

In the ministry circular, schools were told to "offer emergency training to help students save and protect themselves in the case of flooding, mud-rock flows, fires and earthquakes".

It also said without elaborating that "school authorities must stop using classrooms with lurking dangers or even suspend class if necessary".

Before the school tragedy, China had reported at least 255 people killed in floods and storms since last month, which marked the start of the rainy season.

All rights reserved. � 2005 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

ESA's Epidemio And Respond Assist During Angolan Marburg Outbreak

Paris (ESA) May 12, 2005
World Health Organisation personnel combating an Angolan outbreak of the lethal Marburg virus used high-resolution satellite-based urban maps provided through a pair of ESA-led activities.

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.