The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) on October 11 entitled 21 emergency rescue teams to operate under its name.

The teams, mainly sponsored by the government and various social bodies, are categorized into eight groups according to their specialty and rescue experiences covering healthcare, emergency search and rescue, water supply and communication.

Some of the teams have cooperated many times with the RCSC in disaster relief missions, according to the society. Beijing-based Blue Sky, for instance, greatly supported the RCSC in rescue work after the Wenchuan earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan Province in May 2008 and the Lushan quake in April.

By the end of February 2012, local red cross organizations across China had established 684 emergency rescue teams composed of more than 21,000 people, most of whom are volunteers.

Nighttime Dives

China's unmanned autonomous submersible Qianlong-1 successfully operated for a combined 18.5 hours during two night dives, the State Oceanic Administration announced on October 14.

Developed by Chinese scientists, the vehicle is a robot that can travel to a depth of up to 6,000 meters underwater and is tasked with exploring the sea bed and collecting hydrological data.

The two dives, the first nighttime missions for the robot, were made on October 8 and 9 and lasted 8.5 and 10 hours respectively, according to the statement.

The administration said that the Qianlong-1 had operated smoothly in the eastern Pacific Ocean in three dives that lasted nearly 30 hours in total since the first on October 6.

The vehicle is on a trial run and marks the first time a Chinese autonomous underwater craft has been used for a scientific expedition.

Drug Abuse

Young people below the age of 25 made up over half of drug abusers in China last year, said Li Guoqing, an official with the China Food and Drug Administration, at a press conference on October 16.

In 2012, methamphetamine abuse accounted for 14.9 percent more of total drug abuse than in 2008, according to Li.

The information comes from a report that monitored drug abuse in China during 2012, and found that synthetic drug abusers account for the majority of new figures.

Li said that the report also showed that the abuse of medical drugs has dropped every year for the past five years, from 30 percent of total drug abusers in 2008 to 8.2 percent in 2012.

Improving Drainage

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has signed a decree regarding urban drainage and sewage treatment, as flooding and water pollution become an increasing problem during China's rapid urbanization.

The decree, which will come into effect on January 1, 2014, stipulates that all governments above county level must include the building and management of urban drainage and sewage treatment facilities into their economic and social development plan.

It also requires cities and towns to plan their drainage and sewage treatment systems in accordance with their local climate, geography, as well as economic and social development level.