Days of heavy rainfall across east China's Fujian Province have caused floods and triggered landslides. Thankfully in the city of Nanping, the floods have receded. Residents are clearing up the mess and are now preparing for the possibility of more heavy rain.
Local people say the rainy season came a month earlier than usual.No one expected so much rain in early May. In some remote areas, days of rain have caused floods and landslides, damaging roads, burying houses, and claiming lives.
Mr Zhang is a worker at the local port. He has worked by the river for over 30 years. He said when the floods hit, the water level rose by seven meters.
The only time he saw something worse was in the summer of 1998, when massive floods hit many provinces along the Yangtze River, China’s longest river that flows through the country’s most developed and populous regions.
Over the past two days, the city saw lesser rainfall. Water levels also receded quickly.
This is the Min River, which flows through Nanping city. That triangular structure over there is the city’s landmark. Just two days ago, when we first arrived, most of that structure was underwater.
In downtown Nanping, most of the city remains intact. But the lower floors of buildings along the river bank took a major hit.
We visited Mr. Song, owner of a seafood restaurant. Business is brisk during summer, and he usually gets very busy. But now, he needs to start over.
"Our refrigerator, and all stuff in the kitchen were washed away. We lost about 50 thousand yuan," said the restaurant owner.
He hopes to reopen his restaurant soon. But before that, he'll have to prepare for a potential rise in water levels.
The city is also bracing itself. Workers of a local electric power company are getting ready for the possibility of more rain. They have started repairing damages, and hope to prevent further structural damage.
The local meteorological authority forecast a new round of torrential rains will hit in a few days. And there will be more to come when the rainy season hits. But before all that happens, life will have to go on as usual in this dynamic, small city.
