Volunteer weather observers active in mountain villages

"Attention, villagers, here is a weather report: from tonight to tomorrow daytime, showers turning to cloudy, southwest wind force 4 to 5..." In Longtan Village, Tanghe Township, Fengning Manchu Autonomous County, whenever the weather changes, Zhao Guanliang broadcasts the weather information to the whole village over the loudspeaker, so that villagers can act according to the "weather."

Zhao Guanliang is 46 years old this year and is the director of the village committee of Longtan Village, Tanghe Township. Since 2008 he has taken on a new role - weather observer. On the cabinet in his home sits a thick stack of weather record diaries, accumulated bit by bit over the years as a weather observer.

Longtan Village is located in the remote mountainous area southwest of Fengning, with an elevation ranging from 700 m to 1200 m, a very large drop, deep gullies and steep, high mountains, making it prone to debris flows as well as special meteorological disasters such as strong winds and hail, which have always affected agricultural production. "Since I became a village cadre, I have always wanted to minimize the disasters and impacts that weather brings to the people, so I voluntarily took on the work of weather observer!" Zhao Guanliang said.

To do a good job as a weather observer, Zhao Guanliang taught himself relevant meteorological knowledge and, based on the weather forecasts provided by the county meteorological bureau, promptly released them to villagers through the village radio. Especially during the main flood season, after each release of rainy weather information, he would promptly collect public opinion information and notify township leaders and relevant departments to handle it in time, avoiding reduced or total crop failure caused by flood disasters. Since becoming a weather observer, he has actively sought insurance compensation, civil affairs assistance and other funds of more than 100,000 yuan for villagers, protecting their interests to the greatest extent possible.

Now there are many elderly people and left-behind women in the village. Whenever severe weather information is received and broadcast, Zhao Guanliang goes door to door in person to notify them and remind them to take precautions. Villager Zhou Haiyan, 43, said gratefully: "My home is on low ground, and the floodwater must pass through here. One day during the rainy season last year, Director Zhao told us not to sleep too deeply at night, saying there would be a flood that day and telling us to lead the cattle out too. That day we did not sleep at home. The courtyard wall was washed down by the water, the toilet collapsed, and the cattle shed collapsed too. If not for Director Zhao's notice, the loss would have been huge!"

While doing a good job in weather outreach, issuing early warning information, collecting meteorological disaster information, and participating in meteorological disaster prevention and reduction skills training, Zhao Guanliang also pays attention, according to the seasons and crop growth patterns, to collecting scientific and technological knowledge on planting and breeding, and promptly passing on to farmers the scientific skills for increasing yield, raising income, preventing diseases and treating diseases. Last year, he was named "Excellent Weather Observer of Hebei Province."

Some people do not understand Zhao Guanliang's approach and ask him what he is really after. Zhao Guanliang's answer is simple but splendid: "Doing small things within my ability for the villagers is my greatest wish! Village cadres are not permanent. Maybe after the term change I will no longer be a village cadre, but as a weather observer I will definitely keep doing it until the day I can no longer walk!"

Liu Haibo, Wu Xiaoxu, Zhang Baoyang, Liu Jinbao