Typhoon “Willow” landed in Fujian in China a few days ago and brought heavy rain to Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan and other regions. Recently, in Foshan, Guangdong, where there has been a focus on epidemic prevention and control against the Schistosomiasis japonica, the drainage system was clogged due to mosquito nets installed in the sewers, causing severe urban flooding and sparking complaints from residents.
At 12:30 AM on August 14th, Typhoon “Willow” made landfall along the coastal areas of Zhangpu County in Fujian, with maximum winds reaching level 11. Southern China was heavily affected by strong rainfall and strong winds, with Foshan in Guangdong experiencing flooding.
A video circulating online showed severe flooding in the area around the Foshan Smart New City Station, with multiple streets submerged and floodwater rushing into offices.
One netizen posted a video saying, “The drainage system in Foshan is really well-built, needing repairs and months to fix a place, and it can even be turned into a dragon boat race track.”
Residents of the Lion Mountain Tanglian Nan Community posted online saying that due to changes in the sewage pipeline, sewage overflows to this area during heavy rains, causing blockages that have not been resolved for many years despite feedback to the authorities.
However, some netizens in Foshan pointed out that the city’s flooding issues are related to the quirky practices in place for epidemic prevention and control against the Schistosomiasis japonica in the area. Videos uploaded online showed workers covering small holes in manhole covers with isolation membranes, installing mosquito nets in the sewers, and mocking the official experts.
Recently, the Foshan authorities have been carrying out a campaign-style mosquito eradication for epidemic prevention. In addition to conducting disinfection and cleaning up stagnant water, they have covered small holes in manhole covers with isolation membranes and installed mosquito nets in the sewers to prevent mosquitoes. However, this has caused the water to not drain properly after heavy rains, leading to severe flooding in Foshan. Netizens sarcastically remarked, “Their mosquito prevention efforts went in vain. The methods they used to prevent mosquitoes are truly ‘talented’.”