On April 6, the city experienced heavy rainfall. That afternoon, a video conference on flood control preparedness was convened. Liu Zhongjie, deputy secretary of the Hengyang Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and mayor of Hengyang, chaired the meeting and stressed the need to adhere to a people-centered development philosophy, maintain a strong sense of responsibility, and achieve "four clear understandings" to effectively manage the heavy rainfall and geological disaster risks, thereby safeguarding people's lives and property and ensuring overall social stability.

According to statistics, from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm on April 6, the city's average rainfall was 21.7 millimeters. Rainfall ranging from 25 to 49.9 millimeters was recorded in 42 townships, and 21 townships saw rainfall between 50 and 99.9 millimeters. Thanks to proactive preparations and timely responses, no major dangers or disasters had been reported as of the afternoon of April 6.

After hearing reports from the Municipal Emergency Management Bureau and the Municipal Water Resources Bureau on current flood control efforts, as well as updates from various counties and districts, Liu pointed out that the city is currently at a critical juncture of leadership transitions, with the concentrated rainy season, flood season, and cadre adjustment period overlapping. He urged all departments at all levels to fully recognize the extreme importance and urgency of flood control and disaster relief, resolutely overcome any complacency or slackness, and spare no effort in prevention and response with a highly responsible attitude toward the safety of people's lives and property.

Liu demanded the "four clear understandings" to ensure effective and orderly flood control and disaster prevention:

Clear understanding of goals: Protecting people's lives and property must be the fundamental goal, firmly shouldered at all times.

Clear understanding of risks: Conduct exhaustive, dragnet-style inspections focusing on key areas such as urban low-lying areas, underground garages, geological disaster-prone points, households with slope-cutting construction, small and medium-sized rivers, and reservoir dams. Maintain a sense of responsibility and ensure hidden dangers are cleared dynamically.

Clear understanding of measures: Combine human, physical, and technical measures; increase monitoring and early warning frequency; establish a closed-loop mechanism of "warning, alerting, and response"; accurately deliver early warnings to every household and individual; stockpile emergency supplies; improve emergency plans and conduct drills to ensure readiness. 

Clear understanding of responsibilities: Strengthen duty responsibilities; leading officials should supervise key points and command from the front. Information reporting must be rapid, accurate, and comprehensive — no delays, omissions, or concealments. Enhance disaster prevention and mitigation publicity, improve residents' self-rescue and mutual aid awareness, and ensure timely traffic diversion. Ultimately, officials' hard work should translate into people's sense of security and well-being, resolutely safeguarding the bottom line of safety.

Wu Xudong, a member of the municipal government leadership team, attended the meeting.