BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- As China enters its rainy season, the country is making all-out efforts in the prevention, rescue and relief work regarding floods and geological disasters, putting protection of people's lives and safety as the top priority.

Torrential rains have triggered flood warnings since June in many parts of southern China. This year's flooding season comes as China is striving to resume normal business operations after securing major strategic achievements in combating COVID-19.

The dual challenges of floods and coronavirus have put China's disaster relief and emergency management to the test. No matter how tough the situation becomes, China puts the people first and is resolved to protecting people's lives at all costs.

The country has improved its flood defense network, with more than 98,000 reservoirs, 110,000 hydrological stations and over 300,000 km of major levees to guard against floods and minimize damage. Its flood forecasting and risk monitoring capabilities have also been strengthened.

More importantly, China has the political advantage of pooling all resources possible to address major problems. In a timely manner, the country has upgraded its national emergency response to level III from IV on its four-tier scale. On Wednesday, China allocated a total of 615 million yuan (about 87.6 million U.S. dollars) for disaster relief in regions hit by floods. Relevant departments and local governments are enhancing coordination and information sharing to rescue people in dangerous areas.

While the battle against floods is motivated by protecting the people, its success also relies on the people.

Now the strength of the entire society has been mobilized, as shown in the scenes of rescue workers evacuating stranded residents, police officers helping students in downpours, and people standing on duty around the clock to monitor the flood conditions along riverbanks.

With strong actions against disasters, China lets its people know that whoever is affected and no matter where they are, a helping hand will be outstretched. It is this sense of security that will further unite the nation to overcome different challenges and reach its development goals. Enditem