"If something happens, we must get on!" They took an 8-hour relay to rescue Yabuli Town, Shangzhi City, Heilongjiang Province in the rainstorm and flood | Xu Lijiang | They were in the flood
During the heavy rainfall in the Songliao River Basin, Yabuli Town, Shangzhi City, Heilongjiang Province, posed a great threat to the safety of villagers' lives and property due to its low-lying terrain, adjacent to the Ant River, and nearby reservoirs. At a critical moment, a relay rescue in a race against rainstorm was rapidly launched.
Yabuli Town: emergency transfer day and night before rainstorm
On the afternoon of August 2nd, the Party Committee and Government of Yabuli Town, Shangzhi City, Heilongjiang Province issued a transfer notice, and party members and cadres in the jurisdiction quickly organized villagers to transfer. Zhao Canli, a 37 year old Communist Party member and the secretary of the Qianjin Community Party Branch, along with several party members and volunteers, took separate actions, notifying each household and organizing the transfer. They worked tirelessly until early the next morning, and the nursing home and school were all transferred. But some elderly people in the community are reluctant to leave home because they cannot bear to part with their chickens, sheep, livestock, and poultry; Some elderly people were bedridden due to illness, which delayed the transfer opportunity. As the rain grew heavier and heavier, Lin Shufen and Lin Shuying became anxious as they watched their 89 year old father suffer from heart disease.
In fact, at the beginning, Mr. Lin's family was a key target of community transfer, and there were dozens of mobilization calls from Secretary Zhao Canli. But because Mr. Lin is sick in bed, the family is afraid of trouble and even refuses to transfer.
Braving the danger of strong winds and heavy rain, Communist Party member and community secretary Zhao Canli came to Mr. Lin's house again with other young party members. This time, the 38 year old Communist Party member Huo Yanlong was leading the way.
Huo Yanlong, Propaganda Committee Member of Qianjin Community in Yabuli Town, Shangzhi City, Heilongjiang Province, Communist Party Member: It is particularly difficult to enter because the water flow is turbulent. When walking, it feels difficult to move a single step, and our legs are a bit unsteady. There are four of us in total, and two of us fell twice in the middle. After finishing, we helped each other stand up and took two sips of water.
Zhao Canli, Secretary of the Party Branch of Qianjin Community, Yabuli Town, Shangzhi City, Heilongjiang Province: At that time, the water was so deep that it would pour water with just one mouth. I didn't dare to lower my head, so I walked with my head up.
I finally got into Mr. Lin's house, but the old man had a relapse of heart disease at that time, and even if he took medicine, he couldn't exercise vigorously. At that time, Huo Yanlong wanted to carry the old man on his back, but he was afraid of being submerged in water. How to smoothly and safely transfer the elderly has become a difficult problem in front of everyone. At this moment, everyone thought of the large iron basin used by villagers to wash clothes and soak in baths.
Huo Yanlong, Propaganda Committee Member of Qianjin Community in Yabuli Town, Shangzhi City, Heilongjiang Province, Communist Party Member: When we were young, we used to take boats and float over the river, so we have this laundry basin in our local area. Let's wrap it around the rope to ensure safety.
With unwavering perseverance, the community party branch and volunteers have been busy from the afternoon of August 2nd to around 7 am on August 3rd, transferring more than 180 households and 300 people. But at this time, due to continuous rainfall, the water level of the Qianjin Reservoir upstream of the community begins to rise, and once it exceeds the flood control limit, it is possible to start opening floodgates for diversion. But there are still 16 villagers who have not been relocated due to the deep water and long distance, with low-lying terrain and turbulent water flow. At this time, relying solely on rescue efforts from township communities is no longer possible. At this time, Zhao Canli, the secretary of the community branch, sought help from Feng Wei, the station master and Communist Party member of the nearby Yabuli Station in Mudanjiang Railway.
Zhao Canli, Secretary of the Party Branch of Qianjin Community, Yabuli Town, Shangzhi City, Heilongjiang Province: The water level has reached around 1.6 meters. At that time, there was a small forklift in the community that was unable to rescue these civilians. When I contacted the station chief Feng, he immediately asked me where I was located. In just a few minutes, he arrived at the scene. I thought at that time that the people were saved.
Continuous 8-hour relay rescue
Yabuli Station is a third class station of Mudanjiang Depot of China Railway Harbin Bureau, and an important passenger and freight transportation station on the Binsui Railway. The station is responsible for freight loading and unloading operations and is equipped with large operating equipment such as loaders, hooks, and excavators. With the support of the Harbin Bureau Party Committee, the station party branch decided to send station chief Feng Wei to lead a party member assault team and drive a forklift into the village to carry out rescue operations.
The Secretary of the Party Branch of the station, Lang Jingcheng, and the station master, Feng Wei, did not hesitate when facing community assistance and immediately organized personnel to participate in the rescue. Among the numerous party members who registered, Feng Wei selected two party members, a 45 year old loading driver Xu Liqiang and a 43 year old freight forwarder Zhang Wenbin, both of whom work in freight teams and have rich experience in loading and unloading.
Feng Wei, the station director of Yabuli Station at Mudanjiang Depot of China Railway Harbin Bureau: After arriving at the scene, one saw that the water was quite strong, and the other was very turbulent. There were all kinds of floating objects on the water, and the people in need of rescue were very far from our road, requiring many turns.
At this time, 56 year old veteran truck driver Lian Fucheng volunteered to join the assault team because he was the oldest and most experienced veteran driver in the entire station, and also because Lian Fucheng was a local of Yabuli. I have the clearest understanding of the village roads, terrain, and landforms here.
Lian Fucheng, an employee at Yabuli Station of Mudanjiang Car Service Section of China Railway Harbin Bureau, said: The biggest difficulty is that the water flow is fast. The stick of the common people's house in the mountains keeps rushing upwards. After rushing in, they are afraid that the water level will already exceed the engine. Once it reaches the bottom of the wheels, I am afraid of giving my car away.
Division of labor and cooperation, overcoming difficulties together. Feng Wei took on the role of the commander-in-chief of the assault team, with Lian Fucheng as the main driver, Xu Liqiang and Zhang Wenbin on both sides of the loader, observing the water situation and searching for people with community officials. They kept calling out loudly all the way, going door-to-door without missing a person. The children have moved, the young people have moved, but some elderly people are reluctant to leave their homes and are reluctant to leave.
Originally, two elderly people have been unwilling to transfer, delaying the best opportunity. By the time they wanted to leave later, the water was already waist deep. At this moment, the cargo driver and Communist Party member Xu Liqiang jumped off the loader and waded into the house.
Xu Liqiang, a cargo loading driver at Yabuli Station of Mudanjiang Depot of China Railway Harbin Bureau: At this age, my thighs and feet are not agile, and the water is so deep. Young people have a very difficult time walking, let alone an elderly person. I didn't think of anything else, so I quickly walked on my back. It was too dangerous in that area.
Xu Laohan, who is 70 years old this year, has a milk sheep at home. He is reluctant to leave the sheep and refuses to leave. Xu Liqiang and Zhang Wenbin carried him out with a bucket on his back. However, not long after leaving, he unexpectedly managed to sneak back by himself.
When community secretary Zhao Canli counted the number of people, she found that Xu Laohan was missing. The station assault team had no choice but to launch a forklift and rush back into the water again to rescue him. Three times before, after, Xu Laohan secretly ran home, and the assault team saved him three times, but he never gave up.
Xu Chengying, a resident of Qianjin Community in Yabuli Town, Shangzhi City, Heilongjiang Province: Thank you to the Communist Party, if it weren't for them really not being able to leave.
The shovel of the loader can only lift up to four or five villagers at a time. In addition, the narrow roads and deep water in the village make it difficult for the loader to move. After more than ten trips back and forth, after 8 hours of continuous rescue, all 16 trapped villagers were successfully transferred. The local party committee and government have set up temporary resettlement sites, and these villagers have been properly resettled. The entire rescue process did not result in any deaths or injuries, and all were safe.
Feng Wei, the station director of Yabuli Station at Mudanjiang Depot of China Railway Harbin Bureau, said: Our party members, in the face of disasters and during this special period, we have achieved the goal of being able to fight and win at the moment of arrival. In the face of disasters, we do not distinguish between ourselves, but prioritize the interests of the masses and the safety of the people.
Xu Liqiang, a cargo loading driver at Yabuli Station of Mudanjiang Depot of China Railway Harbin Bureau, said: The more critical the time, the more it can reflect the value of a party member. We must go up if there is anything.
Huo Yanlong, Propaganda Committee Member of Qianjin Community in Yabuli Town, Shangzhi City, Heilongjiang Province, Communist Party member: With the Party, everything is possible, and unity is strength. In places with the Communist Party, rest assured that no ordinary people will be left behind. I feel that after this flood, it means that the flood is merciless, there is love in the world, and we have more cohesion.
