Society

Flood-hit dyke in East China suffers new breach

(Agencies/Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-23 16:29

FUZHOU, China - A flood-battered dyke in China suffered a fresh breach on Wednesday morning as heavy flooding in the past week intensified and about 100,000 residents fled after an earlier break in its wall.

The Fuhe River in Jiangxi province first burst through the protective the dyke on its Changkai section late on Monday, after days of torrential rain, threatening areas near the small city of Fuzhou. The width of the breach near Changhu Village, Luozhen Township was still not known, said the municipal flood control officials.

Rescuers carry two children on a flooded street in Fuzhou, Jiangxi province, June 23, 2010. [Agencies] >>For More Photos

The river punched through the embankment again early on Wednesday, the Xinhua news agency reported, citing the provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters. Residents whose homes were threatened had already been evacuated at night.

Troops in orange vests were using boats to search for stranded residents and take them to safety.

"We did not want to leave, but they said there would be more heavy rain in the coming few days, so we decided to bring the children out," said Xiong Feijie, 31, who had been living on the upper floor of her home in Changkai town for the last two days.

Soldiers, civil militia and police were concentrating their efforts in towns like Changkai on rescuing the elderly, children and pregnant women, and taking evacuees to a stadium in Fuzhou.

Related readings:  Residents evacuated after dyke breach in Jiangxi  Floods breach dyke in river as rain persists  Death toll in deluge hits 199  Rescuers help villagers evacuate to safe places

"We were lacking rescue equipment the past few days, so they have been sending us more boats today and we've stepped up rescue work," said rescuer Cui Suilai.

In some areas, the flood waters were up to chest level, inundating the ground floors of homes, shops and restaurants.

Heavy rain across much of southern China over the last week has killed at least 199 people and left 123 missing, as rivers broke their banks and landslides severed road and rail links, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.

More than 2.38 million people have been evacuated, although many are moved only short distances.

ECONOMIC LOSSES

A local resident navigates his boat in a flooded area of Fuzhou, Jiangxi province, June 22, 2010. [Agencies] >>For More Photos

The floods have caused economic losses of around 42.12 billion yuan ($6.2 billion), with more than 1.6 million hectares of farmland flooded and about 195,000 houses collapsing.

More than 15,000 people, including troops and police officers, were attempting to staunch the Changkai Dyke breach with sandbags and other material, news reports said.

Officials rushed to seal the first breach in the dyke that expanded to 400 metres (440 yards), swallowing chunks of the 82 km (50 miles) barrier protecting a low-lying farming area with about 150,000 residents.

By Wednesday, troops and officials had shepherded to safety 100,000 people whose homes were flooded or threatened, Xinhua said. It said there had been no casualties to date.

President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao called for "all-out efforts to combat floods and save lives" following the dyke's collapse.

Nearly every year, parts of China endure deadly floods. The National Meteorological Centre has warned that the current rain could keep pounding parts of the south until Saturday.

In parts of Fujian and Guangdong province more than 100 cm (39 inches) of rain has fallen in the past few days. More rain is forecast for the rest of the week.

Worst hit were the provinces and regions of Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan, Guizhou and Guangxi. Some of these areas had been suffering a severe drought a few months ago.

($1 = 6.796 Yuan)