国内英语新闻:Senior official visits flood-affected people in N China

BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- State Councilor Wang Yong on Sunday visited people affected by severe flooding in north China's Hebei Province and called for utmost efforts in disaster relief and relocation.

Wang's mission was assigned by President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, accompanied by officials from relevant departments under the State Council, said a statement.

"We should put people's lives and safety first. We should make every effort to ensure that flood-affected people are well relocated and protected, and receive good service," Wang said.

Wang, who is also head of the National Committee for Disaster Reduction, visited relocation sites and flood-affected villages in cities of Handan, Xingtai and Shijiazhuang, according to the statement.

Torrential rain and floods last week left 130 people dead and 110 others missing in Hebei, according to the provincial authorities. Nearly 310,000 people were evacuated.