China's Vice Premier Hui Liangyu urged local authorities to do solid work in rebuilding houses for the victims in areas hit by disasters to make sure they can safely get through the winter.

Local government should do everything possible to help the victims rehabilitate their production and take care of their life, Hui said during his tour to east China's Fujian Province, one of the hardest hit provinces by typhoon and flood.

The victims' will should be fully respected when rebuilding the toppled houses, Hui told local officials in Zhangpu county, adding that while trying to improve people's living conditions, local authorities should build the houses with higher disaster-resist capability.

Fujian Province has suffered seven bouts of large-scale flooding and typhoons this year, leaving over 15 million homeless.

Meanwhile, approximately 6.7 million hectares of land in the province have been affected by the drought since autumn, including 8,970 hectares seriously affected and nearly 1,200 hectares scorched. A total of 70,000 people are short of drinking water, according to local drought relief authorities.

Hui said most Chinese provinces have seen higher temperature since autumn and less rainfall, leading to a wider and more severe drought in eastern and southern China.

He urged greater efforts in drought prevention and water conservation to guarantee drinking water safety for people and livestock.

(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2006)