Stay up all night watching the dike 3
Right after Wu started his shift in Poyang County, Jiangxi Province, China, lightning flashed in the sky, and thunder also appeared in the distance.
`I’m a little worried. The weather forecast says the rain will continue for a few more days,` said Wu, a Wanli village official.
This morning, after heavy rain and floodwater discharge on the upper Yangtze River, the water level of Poyang Lake rose to an unprecedented level, at more than 22.5 m, placing many towns and villages near the dyke.
Villages were flooded due to heavy rain in Ji’an town, Jiangxi province, China, on July 10.
Wanli is just one of many villages affected by the latest flood in China, when the natural disaster has spread to 27/31 mainland provinces.
The situation is especially serious in the area along the Truong Giang River.
On July 8, floodwaters breached the dike that Wu was responsible for monitoring, inundating several low-lying villages, leaving 20,000 people without electricity or fresh water.
Wu said he received patrol duties from supervisors on July 7, when the floodwaters were rushing toward them.
Supervisors spend most of the night on patrol, resting only briefly.
The people of Wanli village still remember when the water flooded on July 8.
One by one, each house was submerged in water, while people ran across the bridge in fear, or climbed onto the roof to ensure safety.
Along the Truong Giang River, water levels on many lakes and tributaries are still rising and cannot drain anywhere.
`All we can do is stand and watch,` he said.
