Deadly flooding strands 1 million along Huaihe
( 2003-07-08 11:24) (Xinhua)
Flooding along the rain-swollen Huaihe River in eastern China has killed 13
people and left more than 1 million stranded. It was the highest death toll in
flooding on the Huaihe River in 12 years.
A villager looks at his village submerged
beneath floodwaters on July 6, 2003, after a dyke on Huaihe River dyke was
blasted to allow water to flow into the lower reaches of Tangduo Lake in
East China's Anhui Province. Roads and fields adjacent to the dyke were
immediately submerged as the torrent was released.
[newsphoto.com.cn] | The report late Monday came amid efforts to protect the industrial city of
Bengbu, which lies on the Huaihe River, by blowing up dikes upstream in order to
divert flood waters into farmland.
Water levels along the length of the Huaihe River, which flows across several
densely populated provinces, were still dangerously high, but were starting to
fall as rains eased and draining efforts took effect.
China often suffers
flooding in summer when the rainy season swells rivers and lakes. In
emergencies, flood control authorities destroy dikes upstream from major cities
to let swollen rivers drain into farmland and rural townships.
The flooding has caused nearly 7.2 billion yuan (US$870 million) in damage in
Anhui province, where Bengbu is located, and in the neighboring provinces of
Jiangsu and Henan.
Rising waters have cut off access to the homes of 1.15 million people and
forced the evacuation of 378,900 people in Anhui and ruined 1.9 million hectares
(4.6 million acres) of cropland there and in Jiangsu.
Authorities said on
Monday that 200,000 people had been moved out of rural areas that were
intentionally flooded by the demolition of seven dikes. The government said
there were 15 other flood diversion areas that might be flooded if necessary to
protect Bengbu.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs has sent 11,000 tents to the area.
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