Playing near rivers in China can be a dangerous activity as you never know when water from upstream will be released.
According to a report by Jiemu News, on April 18th, at a riverbank in Huixi, Shanxi, a group of people were having a barbecue and enjoying themselves. Suddenly, the river surged, catching the tourists off guard as the water level rose, cutting off their escape route. People had no choice but to climb trees for safety, with a total of 21 individuals trapped, including a child as young as two or three years old.
A man at the scene later recounted that the water level rose to nearly two meters, with thick mud underfoot, leaving them with no choice but to call for help. Fortunately, firefighters and rescue personnel arrived promptly, using safety ropes to connect the shore to the boat, successfully transferring the trapped individuals to safety zones with no casualties reported.
The report mentioned that the local area was in the spring irrigation period, with water being released from upstream reservoirs, causing the river to flow rapidly and violently downstream.
The report emphasized that there were safety warning signs at the riverbank, suggesting that those trapped were partially to blame for not being cautious enough. However, it did not mention whether downstream authorities were notified in advance before the upstream reservoir discharged water unexpectedly.