The heart of eastern China is facing severe flooding that has affected hundreds of thousands of people, with a state of emergency declared in Jiangxi province on Wednesday and threatening to drastically reduce the region’s rice harvest.
According to Chinese state and independent media reports, the provinces hardest hit by this week’s floods are Jiangxi and neighbouring Hunan, where the Miluo River, a tributary of the Xiang River, is flooded. Documented The river reached its highest level since 1954 on Tuesday, submerging much of the city of Yueyang. Global Times Propaganda vehicles report In Pingjiang county, a district of Yueyang city with a population of more than one million, government-accredited journalists were holed up in their writing offices and stayed behind to document the aftermath of the disaster.
of Global Times Citing local residents, low-lying areas of Pingjiang were “submerged up to the roof” as of Tuesday and much of the area was without power. A local resident who gave his name only as “Song” said that although the Chinese Communist Party claims to have eradicated poverty in 2020, Pingjiang has been an impoverished area for most of its history.
Based in Hong Kong South China Morning Post report The Hunan Provincial Meteorological Bureau reported on Tuesday that flooding in Pingjiang appeared to be worse than in other parts of the province after levees in the area burst, sending water into residential areas.
“A third of Pingjiang’s old town and half of the new town are submerged, local newspaper Hunan Daily reported,” a ministry spokesman said. Morning Post“Flood heights are said to have reached three metres in some areas.”
Sixth Tone Outlet in China Quote Local humanitarian workers in Pingjiang city said on Wednesday that many who had evacuated had not yet returned home even as the waters were slowly receding, and those trapped in their homes remained unable to leave. One worker thanked Chinese nationals from other parts of the country for sending bottled water, candles and other essentials, but said some food supplies remained dangerously scarce in the area.
Sixth Tone noted that despite the apparent severity of the natural disaster, the Chinese government has yet to record any casualties.
Chinese state media said the disaster Move Rain is expected to fall eastward from Hunan to Jiangxi and Anhui provinces in the near future, and as the rains continue, the Yangtze River and several other local rivers are expected to start flooding.
“Due to the prolonged heavy rains, water levels in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake are expected to continue rising,” the state-run Xinhua News Agency said. report “The water level of Lake Tai will remain above the alert level,” it said on Wednesday.
Central China is home to some of the country’s most important agricultural land. Morning Post Warned Farmers on Wednesday reported signs that heavy rains early in the season could affect rice crops and damage some of the expected harvest yields this harvest season.
“Heavy rains since mid-June have caused crops to germinate early in the southern and eastern parts of the country,” the paper said, citing farmers in the region.
Ding Yong, a farmer in Hunan province, lamented that it was “almost certain” that the 2024 rice harvest would be smaller due to “abnormal” rainfall.
China regularly experiences devastating floods in the country’s centre between June and August, exacerbated by inadequate infrastructure and attempts by the Communist Party to divert water to poor areas and protect the homes of the ruling elite. Genocidal dictator Xi Jinping is out of the country this week and has instructed Premier Li Qiang to visit Jiangxi province on Monday.
During his visit, Prime Minister Lee stressed that “we are now in the peak flood season and flood control efforts have entered a critical phase.” according to To Global Times. “We need to be more risk-aware and profit-driven,” he was quoted as saying. Global Times According to President Xi Jinping, there was no specific mention of what “practical thinking” needs to be strengthened.
At press time, President Xi Jinping was in Kazakhstan meeting with Central Asian leaders.
In 2023, floods in eastern China caused major social unrest in Hebei province, outside Beijing. Local residents accused the government of diverting the floodwaters to protect the capital’s elite. Ni Yuefeng, chairman of the Hebei provincial Communist Party, stoked the sentiment by issuing a message to residents of the flood-hit city of Taozhou, urging them to “resolutely serve as a moat for the capital.”
Videos circulating on social media outside China showed residents of Hebei province attacking Communist party officials, accusing them of trying to divert floodwaters away from their homes, and driving them out of some areas.
“Video clips of scuffles, lengthy arguments and clashes with police have appeared on social media in recent days,” Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported. Documented At the time, the show “showed scenes of beleaguered rural residents facing off against authorities trying to flood their homes and farmland to protect Beijing, as well as the Xiongan New Area, a pet project of Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping.”
Xiongan New District is a planned but unbuilt city in the region.
