Floods in China

Local media reports called the gale forced rains and winds on Friday "the worst in 100 years in our city of Shenzhen."

I have never experienced this type of non-stop rain for hours. Usually the mid-western thunderstorms will last for up to an hour. And it is convenient to stay out of the rain as we all have cars to hide in.

Our candy-purple electric motor scooter was not working because Kendy used it early that morning. Water soaked the battery, disabling the scooter until drier days.

I was outside for 10 minutes trying to find a taxi, with my oversized golf umbrella and gale forced winds and rain blowing sideways. The wind collapsed my umbrella.

I found a taxi but it was no use as my clothes and shoes were soaked, along with my back pack with my computer inside. I had to keep going as I had a meeting in our office 30 minutes away and decided to dry off when I got to work.

That night my friend tried to take me home in his car. We were not prepared for what was to come. All three roads leading to my home were lakes, at least two feet deep, and the bridges had large holes which many drivers did not dare to cross. When the waves hit our car it would lift it up and spin us sideways. Luckily we didn't float to long--- as the water would retreat low enough to allow our car to touch the pavement. I jumped out of the car and decided to try walking home through the lakes and across the unstable bridge with large horizontal holes where you could see the road below.

After an hour of walking I made it home, drenched, smelly from the dirty water, and ready for a shower. But I had made it to home sweet home with another experience in China that I probably would not have in the US.

See my 25 second video on you tube:
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Xinhua News Service --the main news agency for China reported this bad news during the weekend which I am not happy to think about more rain drenched clothing and walking home. I am sure this will also effect consumer goods being manufactured and shipped around the world as the big trucks were delayed when the roads were turned into lakes. If the drivers attempted to cross their car was disabled after water got in the engine or the electrical system got wet.

BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Heavy rains were forecast for most parts of already-drenched southern China over the next 10 days, and some areas could experience torrential rains, strong gales and thunderstorms, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said on Sunday.

Floods had forced more than 1.27 million people to evacuate, with 55 dead and seven missing in nine provinces as of 9 p.m. Saturday.Vegetable prices soared amid tight supplies in some flooded regions. In the worst-hit Guangdong Province, vegetable prices jumped 30 percent to 70 percent on Saturday alone in the cities of Guangzhou, Shantou, Chaozhou and Shaoguan.


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