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21 August 2002 By France Hurtubise in Hunan province Chinese authorities have declared a state of emergency in the central province of Hunan as water levels in the country's second largest freshwater lake, Dongting Lake, continue to rise. The government has mobilised thousands of people to reinforce embankments around the lake which acts as giant overflow for the flood-prone Yangtze River while the Chinese Red Cross is on high alert. Hunan has been repeatedly hit by flash floods and landslides in recent months, killing more than 200 people and leaving thousands of homeless in August alone. Earlier in the summer, more than 10 million were affected by floods in Hunan and the events of recent days is adding to the misery of the people. Despair and disbelief were seen in the eyes of the people of the small village of Yin Tian along the Chunling river in the southern part of the province. "I have lost everything, we need your help" said one 76 year-old woman, sobbing deeply. Recent floods have destroyed 50 per cent of the houses in the village, leaving 45 families without a roof over their heads. Floods, landslides and mud flows caused by persistent rains over the last few days are continuing to pose a severe threat, not just to them, but also to many other parts of the province. In some places, the water level reached above two metres forcing several families to move to safer areas. The local authorities have made schools and hospitals available for temporary shelters but still many people are refusing to leave their houses, even if it is dangerous to stay. The director of a hospital lost his wife and 80 year-old mother-in-law when part of the hospital was destroyed when the river flooded over. In the prefecture of Chenzhou, the deteriorating conditions of the roads have prevented cars and trucks from reaching some of the remote villages in the mountains. Local communities are working hard at repairing the roads to enable relief workers from the Red Cross and other organisations to bring assistance. More than 1.2 million people are reported to have been severely affected by flooding and landslides here. An estimated 6,000 people have been left homeless. Hilly regions have greatly suffered from the heavy rains, but with communication to some areas still cut off, a full picture of the situation has yet to emerge. However, some places look as if they have been hit by an earthquake, with many houses totally demolished. In this part of the country, there is only one harvest per year and with crops destroyed, there are no food supplies for the coming winter. The Chinese Red Cross, with support from the International Federation, has just distributed nine trucks of relief goods including tents, blankets, food and water purification powder to flood victims in the area. In cooperation with the Public Health Bureau, the Chinese Red Cross has been working throughout the affected areas, including sending medical teams on a door-to-door health and hygiene campaign to prevent an outbreak of waterborne diseases. Related Links: Make an Online Donation Flash Floods Emergency Appeal 15 August 2002 - China's relentless floods 28 June 2002 - Flash floods drastically alter Chinese landscape |
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