Since June this year heavy rainstorms have hit north and east Fujian continuously, leading to sudden rise of water level and frequent floods. Six main rivers of the province including Minjiang, Shaxi, Futunxi, Youxi, Tingjiang and Jiulongjiang Beixi all rise above the dangerous water level. Large flood peaks of the Minjiang mainstream posed serious threat to Fuzhou city. Rainstorms and floods have caused huge economic losses to Fujian province.

Paying great attention to this unprecedented natural disaster, the party committee of the CCB Fujian branch quickly deployed the preventative tasks prior to its arrival and resolutely took actions to cope with the disaster, with the purpose of ensuring the safety of life of its employees and the security of national properties and minimizing losses. In front of the surging floods, the party committees at all levels and the employees of the bank dealt with the emergency calmly and demonstrated the sense of responsibility and spirit of sacrifice.

Making careful preparations before it rains

Hurrying up in front of rainstorm alarm

On the morning of June 7, the Fujian branch issued the Urgent Notice on Coping with the Rainstorm and Flood. On the afternoon, the branch received the Urgent Notice on Taking Quick Actions to Prepare for the Rainstorm and Flood in Urban Areas issued by the Office of the Municipal People’s Government of Fuzhou. The party committee of the branch immediately called an urgent meeting to deploy the disaster relief preparations for the urban areas of Fuzhou.

The provincial branch quickly established the 24-hour on-duty system of senior executives and strengthened the coffer management. Sophisticated measures were adopted to ensure that cash, important blank bills, ammunitions and monitoring equipment were transferred to safe places immediately in case of any emergency.

Upon receiving the flood notification, CCB branches at various levels launched their emergency response mechanisms respectively and set up disaster relief teams to protect their account books, important bills, documents and computer equipment and tried to minimize the negative effect and ensure the life and property security of employees. Meanwhile, guards were immediately sent to the coffers to keep communications and report dangers if there was any.

The provincial branch especially deployed the flood relief tasks for its sub-branches in Fuzhou. Staffs were sent to patrol the business outlets and ATMs and made evacuation preparations for those business outlets and ATMs in lower areas. A large number of sand bags were prepared around the coffers and preparations for moving cash to safe places were also made to ensure the security of cash, important blank bills, guns and ammunitions. Employees living in the buildings which were located in lower areas were also ready to evacuate in case of emergency.

While deploying the preventative tasks throughout the bank, various departments of the provincial branch also took quick actions to set up the anti-flood teams and establish the 24-hour on-duty system to ensure the safety of its office building and coffer.

Pulling together against natural disaster

Heavy rainstorm arrives

5 outlets and 1 residential building of the Jian’ou, Zhenghe and Jianyang sub-branches of the Napaning branch which was seriously hit by the disaster were inundated with a flood depth of 1 to 2 meters. At about 5:00 a.m. June 6, the continuous rainstorms in the upper reach led to sudden rise of the water level of rivers in Zhenghe county. President Li Daoxing and Vice President Ma Jianzu of Zhenghe sub-branch, together with the employees, hurried to move key objects upstairs and store the cash and important bills in the postal savings coffers amidst heavy rains. At about 7:00 a.m. flood started hitting the business hall of the sub-branch and rose to about 1 meter within a short period of just a dozen of minutes. Their timely action minimized the losses.

At about 1:45 p.m. June 6, the rescue team composed of over 20 staffs of Jian’ou sub-branch entered into the Zhongshan sub-office and Jinji savings office and spent a whole night to move cash boxes, account books and import bills to safe places. Jianyang sub-branch especially formulated the emergency response mechanism for its Jianrong savings office which is located near the Chongyangxi River and kept on duty 24 hours per day. The rescue team stood by and packaged the computer, monitoring equipment and account books in advance. Staffs of Shaowu sub-branch made careful preparations for the transport of fees collected at the expressway toll stations. Despite heavy rains, slippery road, steep hills, sharp curves, traffic jam and deep water covering the road, the driver drove carefully and the security guards kept high alarm and maintained communications with the security department of the sub-branch. Meanwhile, the sub-branch kept contact with the 110 Police Center and ensured the security of the Mingan expressway toll stations.

Seeing that the flood started subsidizing, the bank staffs, although tired, felt encouraged and immediately launched the relief efforts to resume operation. After flood left the business hall of Zhenghe county sub-branch, faced with the mess, its staffs quickly cleaned up the office, put the account books, bills, important objects, office equipment and materials in their original places and installed computers, which ensured the normal business operation next day.

In the process of resuming business, most staffs of the affected CCB sub-branches participated in the cleaning up of business halls. With their hard work, the accounting department and counter of the sub-branches firstly resumed their services.

On the evening of June 7, the flood retreated. Learning that next day there might be heavier rainstorm, the staffs of Shanggan savings office of Minhou sub-branch made timely examinations around the office and found that the location of the self-service equipment was fairly dangerous. They quickly moved the equipment by tricycle to the sub-office which was located in higher area. On the evening of June 8 the heavy flood with a depth of over 80 centimetres arrived, but the properties of the sub-branch remained sound. During those two days, the home of director Lin Xiangjun of the sub-branch was also hit by the flood, but he was too busy to go home except making a few telephones to say sorry to his family.

The rainstorm continues. Amidst heavy wind, rain and flood, the CCB staffs are fighting together with the locals to forge one solid dam after another with their resolute will and spirit.