Much is reported about the desolation wi by the floods in kew and Wahu, but} it is the country people who are by far the greatest sufferers in the [present floods. In parts of Anhui for a distance of fifty miles north fof the Yangtze River the flood sweeping down towns villages ai farms. There are no. newspaper reporters in. this equntry. to about the havoc that wrought. Another reason for lack of information is the fact that sie v ing sail travel in these sections ig impos: sible ence slow moving
'The writer recently made a trip! through the flooded country north of the Yangtze River in' Anhui from Wuhu to Chao Hsien. This is exceptionally rich rice " growing country, in fact it is this country which makes Wuhu' one of the largest rice exporting points China, There are thousands of populous villages and market towns in this section. The whole region has now become a waste of deeply flowing waters. All fields are flooded, houses are either already down or are toppling over. Nothing but the tops of trees and the few remaining houses are tobe seen above the sea of wi populace has been di ills or to high ground miles away.
The people have saved very litre! lof their food or of their property because they hoped against hope that the waters would receed before their homes were flooded.
The tragedies that have been enacted as. the people sought to save their property and their illes will never be told. The report comes from Near Chao Hsien fof 180 men who were drowned at Jonce when the dyke they were try-jing to save suddenly gave way and the waters engulfed them all. As} the waters rose inch by inch the farmers kept watchmen out on the dykes who beat a gong when he found the water begin to trickle] lover the dyke. Immediately he! beat the gong the farmers woul: come running from all directions whether by day or night. All night] long the writer heard the beating of the gongs as. the watchman called the neighbours to repair the dykes. They would work desperate-adding inch by inch of earth to} the top of the dykes. In every] Jcace, this year, their efforts were, in vain, for ultimately the floods would flow over the banks and into fields and gardens, in some cases overtaking the people before: they.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.