If it’s a natural disaster then the government owes no compensation. So, the CCP waits until after dark and opens the gates to dams to release pressure and prevent rupture. Then, they declare it a natural disaster. That way, they don’t have to pay for all the damage, which runs into the equivalent of billions of dollars.
Since China is a totalitarian country, where the government can do whatever they want, does the Chinese government really have to take such steps to declare a natural disaster?