WELLINGTON Cheap Women's Men's NikeLab VaporMax Flyknit Betrue 2017 Blue , June 4 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand government on Wednesday announced a major investment to help rebuild schools and upgrade the national sports stadium in cyclone-battered Tonga.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, who is leading a political delegation to the Pacific island nation, said his government would give 5 million NZ dollars (4.21 million U.S. dollars) to rebuild schools in the Ha'apai islands, which were hit by Cyclone Ian earlier this year.
The joint project with the Asian Development Bank and the Tongan Government, valued at 7.5 million NZ dollars (6.32 million U.S. dollars) would have a big impact on the lives of about 1,300 students affected by the cyclone, Key said in a statement from his office.
In January, Cyclone Ian caused extensive damage to infrastructure, public utilities and services, agriculture and housing, as well as severely damaging schools in the Ha'apai island group.
The funding would be used to reconstruct classrooms and staff quarters, and replace school equipment across the island group by 2016.
"There is a significant Tongan population living in New Zealand Cheap Men's Red Nike Vapormax Flyknit 2018 , so it's important that we are able to help Tonga in times of need, " said Key.
New Zealand would also contribute around 2 million NZ dollars ( 1.68 million U.S. dollars) towards upgrading Tonga's national stadium in Nuku'alofa ahead of the 2019 Pacific Games.
"Teufaiva Stadium is already an important site for domestic rugby, athletics and community events and will be a great venue for the Pacific Games," said Key.
The first step in the upgrade work would be a New Zealand- funded feasibility study and design and technical support for the Tongan government.
In Tonga, Key also met with Prime Minister Lord Tu'ivakano and had high level discussions with other ministers.
MAOXIAN, Sichuan Province, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Technological advances over the past decade have helped make China's disaster rescue more sophisticated.
This was demonstrated recently after landslides hit a valley in the southwestern province of Sichuan Cheap Nike Vapormax Flyknit 2018 Men's Blue , and rescue workers were warned of risks.
As rescuers were combing through the debris Monday during the search for 93 missing people, they were ordered to leave the site as a slope stability radar sensed secondary slides.
The following day, another landslide hit.
"These new gadgets help us a lot and enable us to better plan the rescue," one rescuer said.
Yang Xiaolin, a senior engineer with China Academy of Safety Science and Technology, said the synthetic aperture radar can detect tiny changes to predict slides.
A drone was also flown over the landslide site that captured data to compile a 3D topographic map. The map was then used to reveal the location of collapsed houses and the depth at which they were buried, rescuers say.
Yan Buqing Cheap Men's Nike Vapormax Flyknit Grey , an army rescuer, said drones made rescues much more efficient, as they helped narrow down the search area. Life detectors, although a common piece of equipment the world over, sometimes struggle to pick up signals when people are buried deep down, he said.
The teams in Sichuan are very experienced as the province seems to suffer more than its share of catastrophes.
In May 2008, a 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck Wenchuan and killed more than 80,000 people. In 2013, another quake hit Lushan, killing 196.
Past rescues have taught the authorities to clear road blocks and restore power and telecommunication as a priority in rescue, said Yan Yudong Cheap Men's Nike Vapormax Flyknit 2018 Black , head of the civilian Yong'an Rescue Team.
"With roads, goods, power, and telecommunication in place, we can operate with higher efficiency," Yan said.
Despite the improvements, the landslide this month saw eight million cubic meters of rocks and mud accumulating up to 30 meters high Cheap Men's Nike VaporMax Black Anthracite , exhausting oxygen beneath the debris, rescuers say.
The 72-hour "golden window" for survival ended Tuesday.
The authorities, however, have not announced the end of the rescue.
Sichuan is situated close to the eastern borders of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Earthquakes are frequent making the rocks and earth of the area's mountain slopes very dangerous.
The town proper of Maoxian is built atop ancient landslide ruins. The area was hit by a major earthquake in 1933. Geologists say Maoxian has as many as 900 high-risk areas.
Despite the dangers, people still want to live in the lush valleys like the one hit by landslide, where it is not only beautiful but is easier to grow crops.