Recent floods have hit Huludao City in Liaoning Province, causing significant loss of life and property. Official reports indicate that 11 people have died, 14 people are missing, and the heavy rainfall is being blamed. However, local residents have claimed that many people were swept away as a result of water being released from floodgates.
According to China Central Television (CCTV) news, on the evening of August 23, officials in Huludao City, Liaoning Province, reported that the “heavy rainfall” had resulted in severe damage, especially in Jianchang County and Suizhong County. Preliminary statistics show that 188,757 people in Huludao City have been affected by the disaster, with estimated losses amounting to 10.3 billion yuan. Key national and provincial highways, as well as 210 rural roads, have been partially or completely damaged. Additionally, 187 bridges have been impacted, 40 power lines are down, affecting 128,580 households in 29 towns and 286 villages. Furthermore, 6 main communication optic cables have been destroyed, with 1301 locations experiencing disruptions in access to fiber optic cables.
Official figures state that the disaster has led to the death of 10 individuals, with 14 others missing. One grassroots official also lost his life while trying to rescue people, and efforts are ongoing to locate the missing individuals. Due to the history of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) concealing disaster data, there are concerns that the actual number of casualties and missing persons may be higher.
Authorities have highlighted the impact of heavy rainfall on the disaster but have not addressed the issue of water discharge.
Starting from August 19, Liaoning Province has experienced consecutive days of heavy rain, leading to the opening of several reservoirs in Huludao City and Chaoyang City to release water, resulting in flooding in multiple towns. Escaped survivors have reported that continuous water discharge from the reservoirs caused severe damage in various villages, such as Sandao Gou, Gaojialing, and Guojia Village, with houses and vehicles being washed away. However, these incidents were not disclosed by the authorities.
As a result of water discharge from the Gongshanju Reservoir, the Dalin River surged, causing flooding in several villages in Chaoyang City on August 20. Residents of Chaoyang City have reported nearly a hundred submerged vehicles in the urban area, with severe damage along the Dalin River and its tributaries.
A resident of Chaoyang City, Mr. Yang, told NTD Television, “The heavy rain, combined with water discharge from the reservoir, created a very strong current. The river channels and dams have been destroyed, causing severe damage in surrounding rural areas. Water and power supply have been cut off, and many areas are unreachable. Many villages have been washed away entirely, with houses collapsed and residents missing, yet this has not been reported by the authorities.”
Local villagers have expressed their distress online, stating, “The flooding happened in the middle of the night, and many people were caught off guard.” “It is said that many people were washed away.” “Most of Jianchang’s towns are without electricity and communication signals, with bridges and roads destroyed.”
Ms. Wang, a villager in Jianchang County, told NTD, “When the reservoir released water, the water rushed like huge waves, flooding everything in its path. We are now homeless. The reservoir belongs to someone privately, so why did they delay releasing water in the beginning? They were concerned about fish losses, but when the water level rose further, they had no choice but to release the water.”
On August 20, Jianchang County in Huludao City, Liaoning Province, was hit by flooding. A resident named Chen Yi revealed to Epoch Times reporters that the eastern part of Jianchang County was severely affected, with Dalun being the hardest-hit area where floodwaters inundated villages, forcing people to seek refuge on rooftops.
Chen Yi disclosed that officials informed him that the Gongshanju Reservoir in Jianchang County increased its water discharge at 7 p.m., releasing 500 cubic meters per second. He expressed concern that the water level would continue to rise, posing a threat to bridge structures.
On August 19, the Flood Control and Drought Relief headquarters in Jianchang County issued a notice stating that the water level of the Gongshanju Reservoir was approaching the flood limit. At 3 p.m. on August 19, they began releasing water at a rate of 50 cubic meters per second, with a planned discharge lasting for 7 days.
It is reported that Chinese reservoirs have a designated flood limit water level, which is not to be exceeded during the flood season, and any excess water must be discharged. However, water expert Wang Weiluo explained to Epoch Times on June 21 that the flood limit water level is a low water level within the reservoir, and there is a substantial capacity between the flood limit and normal storage levels, intended for flood control. He criticized the practice of releasing water immediately upon reaching the flood limit as a result of CCP officials prioritizing dam safety over flood prevention measures due to concerns over dam quality issues, leading to premature discharge of water.
Wang Weiluo mentioned that there are nearly 100,000 reservoirs in China, and a significant portion of them, roughly three-quarters, are considered unsafe.