A tropical storm brought heavy rainfall to the coastal Chinese province of Fujian. Local authorities suddenly released excess water from nearly 600 dams without notifying residents. Flood waters soon swept across residential areas threatening lives and livelihoods.
Footage shows cities and villages submerged under muddy water and leaving vehicles stranded on the streets.
One resident said that she started reaching out for help after spotting a crack in the dam. But didn’t get a response.
“There’s a crack in the dam and they didn’t want me to take pictures. I’ve been calling people (about it) but no one was here to check it out. No one from my village could take care of it. I’ve already left home. I’m staying somewhere else right now,” resident Ms. Lin said.
Another suggested a more sinister cause.
“We’re living in a mountain. There can’t be any storms nor floods. It is all man-made. It’s vicious. The dams were opened on purpose. Once everyone’s gone, everything is theirs,” resident Wang Jian said.
In another village, officials released excess water from nine dams at the same time. Local tea farmers could only watch as the torrent washed away large sacks of their tea harvest.