On August 6, the First Team moved upstream, returning to the Shashi waters.
The Second Team moved downstream, returning to the Diao Xiankou Gate, and at the request of the Shishou City Flood Control Office, organized forces to continue reinforcing the south bank embanknt of Jingjiang.
The excavator driver from the Marine Bureau felt much better after taking dication and could now join the battle.
Han Yu no longer needed to handle everything personally and could finally get so sleep.
When he woke up, it was already eight in the evening. Stepping out of his father-in-law's dormitory, it was raining lightly outside, and there were strong winds and waves on the river.
"Secretary Han, quickly wash your face. I'll have the cooking team bring so food over."
"I'm not hungry right now. I'll eat supper with everyone later."
Han Yu politely declined Vice Director Yu's kind offer and pushed open the door to enter the small conference room.
Master Han not only had to observe and predict weather changes but also help answer phone calls and receive the latest notifications from the Yangtze Flood Control Headquarters and Jingzhou Flood Control Command.
"Dad, is there any update on the flood peak?"
"Yes."
They had a telephone line here capable of receiving faxes.
Master Han stubbed out his cigarette and took a fax docunt from a folder, speaking worriedly, "The Yangtze Flood Control Headquarters reports that the flood peak flow at Changyi has reached 61,500 cubic ters per second, expected to reach Shashi around 4 a.m. the day after tomorrow."
Han Yu sat down and asked, "61,500 cubic ters per second!"
"If the water level at Jingjiang can drop within two days, it should withstand the fourth flood peak. The problem is that the downstream floodwater is holding up, and the water level at Jingjiang remains high. I just got off the phone with Master Xi, who predicts that once the flood peak enters Jingjiang, the water levels at Shashi and Jianli will both exceed the historical maximum, especially with the water level at Shashi likely to reach 45 ters."
"The upper limit for flood diversion at Jingjiang is 45 ters!"
"Therefore, Angong County is mobilizing people to evacuate. This situation is different from when there was a risk with the Yang Liu Village section of the embanknt. It's not about evacuating tens of thousands, but over thirty thousand people need to leave. Political Commissar Yang called this afternoon, saying Captain Peng is leading troops to assist the local governnt in organizing the evacuation."
The main forces of Regint 132 initially planned to return to their station but were called back to Angong County midway to continue flood fighting.
The troops have been working hard for nearly a month and are very tired.
However, compared to the officers and soldiers of Regint 132, the people of Angong County have it even harder, with tens of thousands having to leave their hos within just two days. The evacuation scene is unimaginable.
Master Han didn't know what his son-in-law was thinking and continued, "If the flood diversion project is initiated, the Jingjiang dyke on the Shashi side should hold, but the flood-fighting situation downstream at Shishou and Jianli remains severe. Master Xi ntioned that the Provincial Defense Command has ordered Shishou to abandon River Mouth Town and Jianli to open the Sanzhou Linked Dikes for flood diversion."
River Mouth Town at Shishou is a civilian dike where Regint 127 is holding strong. That civilian dike is similar to the previous two that were flooded, forming a peninsula that turns the east-west Yangtze River into a north-south course, with the Yangtze on both its east and west sides, covering an area of over 180 square kiloters.
Abandoning River Mouth Town allows for straightening the course, not only storing and diverting floodwaters but also reducing the pressure on the south bank embanknt of Jingjiang and the Ba Yi Dam where the Second Team is.
The Sanzhou Linked Dikes is the largest civilian dike in Jianli County, covering nearly two hundred square kiloters!
If the flood diversion project in Angong is initiated, simultaneously abandoning the two large civilian dikes at Shishou and Jianli would inundate many hos, displacing countless civilians.
Despite possessing the best chanized construction equipnt, the most professional flood-fighting personnel, and the most robust logistical support, Han Yu felt that in the face of natural disasters, the power of ergency rescue assault teams was extrely limited. Confronting waves higher than waves, persistently high and composite flood peaks, he found there was little he could do.
"Mayor Qin and Deputy Division Commander Tao of the Jiangnan Reserve Division arrived last night. After visiting the Second Team today, accompanied by Mayor Shen, they crossed the river to visit Regint 132, and are now visiting the 404 Division command post accompanied by Captain Peng."
Master Han glanced at the phone records and added, "They originally planned to stay overnight in Angong County, intending to visit us early tomorrow morning. But Angong is organizing an evacuation, and although there is a large embanknt surrounding Angong County, no one can guarantee it will hold. The county is in chaos, and they called to say they are rushing here overnight."
At a ti like this, what kind of visit...
Han Yu wasn't very interested in whether Vice Mayor Qin and Deputy Division Commander Tao would visit or not and asked, "Dad, are there any updates from Xu Mingyuan and Ma Jintao?"
"Yes, together with the water rescue fleet assembled by Jianli County, they conducted a thorough search of several civilian dikes designated for flood storage, relocating people from lower-lying villages to the embanknts. Still, over three thousand people are unwilling to leave."
"When the flood peak arrives, the water level will rise. How can they not leave!"
"The local governnt is working on it. For the residents in higher terrains, those living on rooftops, and those who are truly unwilling to leave, the governnt has no better solution than to organize boats to deliver so relief supplies."
Master Han paused, then continued, "Considering the physical and ntal exhaustion of Xu Mingyuan and his team from continuous operations, Political Commissar Yang had them return this afternoon. They should be 'ho' before midnight. Secretary Wang had the cooking team prepare extra supper, and the living quarters are all tidied up."
In just half a month, the Water Rescue Team had moved from Jingzhou to Hanwu, from Hanwu to Xiang'an, then from Xiang'an to Yu Jia, and now from Yu Jia to Jianli, covering nearly a thousand kiloters between Beihu and Nanhu provinces. They are indeed tired.
"After they return, allow the Third Company and the water rescue detachnt of Regint 127 to take a good rest for two days." Han Yu took a deep breath, then asked, "What about Xiao Jun and ngng?"
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