Flooding continues in Huarong County and Pingjiang County, Yueyang City, Hunan Province. On July 11, residents of Pingjiang County revealed that the local floodwaters are still one meter deep. At the same time, over 10 provinces and municipalities in mainland China are experiencing heavy to torrential rain, with 34 rivers experiencing floods above the warning level.
Residents who have been relocated to safety in Pingjiang County, Yueyang City, on July 11, told Epoch Times, “The water has not receded yet, it’s still one meter deep.” The residents mentioned that they can only start cleaning their houses once the water recedes, and it will take at least one to two weeks to complete the cleanup.
On July 9, a dangerous situation occurred at Jiufeng Reservoir in Pingjiang County where the outflow increased uncontrollably, leading to urgent evacuations in Sanjiang, Dajing, Changle, and Luojiang towns. The residents mentioned that the sudden breach of the reservoir caused significant losses to the villagers, with crops being destroyed and fish running away.
Another resident in Pingjiang County, speaking on July 11, expressed the shortage of supplies in the area and mentioned that boats are in high demand due to the situation. They shared a close call where their uncle almost got washed away during the incident.
A villager near Jiufeng Reservoir, Mr. Yang, previously stated to “Extreme Vision News” on July 9 that besides the recent crisis, there was a previous incident a few days earlier which led to their first relocation. This is the second time they have had to evacuate. Mrs. Zhang from Baotang Village in Luojiang Town mentioned that following seepage at Jiufeng Reservoir a few days ago, her mother-in-law’s house was flooded, with water levels exceeding 2 meters in low-lying areas.
Around 11 a.m. on July 5, it was discovered that there was significant seepage at the foot of the drainage prism of Jiufeng Reservoir Dam, leading to the occurrence of the crisis.
After the breach of Tongzhou Embankment in Yuanbei Village, Tuanzhou Township, Huarong County, Yueyang City, on July 5, it was not until the evening of July 8 that the breach was finally sealed. However, the embankment still retained approximately 210 million cubic meters of water, equivalent to 15 West Lakes.
Mr. Chen, a victim in Tuanzhou Township, using a pseudonym, spoke to Radio Free Asia on July 10 and mentioned that their family members are from the flooded area and are currently relying on relatives and friends for support.
He revealed that the local government failed to provide essential assistance and simply drove villagers out of the area. Despite official claims of available supplies on July 9, he only received a bottle of mineral water. “My uncle, my aunt, and dozens of others in our area basically have nothing,” said Mr. Chen.
Chen cautioned those willing to donate to disaster-stricken areas, suggesting that direct donations to individuals after the water recedes would be more effective, as government aid often does not reach the people.
According to the China Meteorological Administration on July 11, from 2 p.m. on the 11th to 2 p.m. on the 12th, heavy to torrential rain is expected in northern Sichuan Basin, northern Chongqing, southwestern and central-eastern Hubei, southeastern Henan, central Anhui, southern Jiangsu, Shanghai, northern Zhejiang, southeastern Tibet, western Yunnan, central Hebei, northern Tianjin, and other areas.
Specifically, central Anhui, southwestern Jiangsu, and other regions may experience localized heavy rainfall of 100-200 millimeters, with the possibility of short, intense rainfall exceeding 60 millimeters, along with thunderstorms and strong convective weather.
The Ministry of Water Resources of the Communist Party of China reported that from 8 a.m. on the 10th to 8 a.m. on the 11th, 34 rivers in Shaanxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Guizhou, Anhui, Jiangsu, and other areas experienced floods above warning levels.
Among them, four rivers in Chongqing saw floods above the alert level. It is expected that by 8 a.m. on the 12th, there may be flood peaks in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, with the tributary Quejiang experiencing floods above the warning level. The middle and lower reaches from Jiujiang to Datong River, Poyang Lake in Jiangxi, and Xiushui are expected to maintain floods above the warning level.
CCTV reported that the chairman of the Yangtze River Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources of the Communist Party of China announced that the upper Yangtze River will see multiple rises in water levels in the coming week, with the Three Gorges Reservoir expected to receive a peak inflow of around 45,000 cubic meters per second around July 12. On the afternoon of July 11, an additional spillway was opened at the Three Gorges Dam, increasing the outflow to 33,000 cubic meters per second. Prior to this, two spillways were already opened.