Blasting dams and embankments to discharge water was an extreme response
employed during Chinas worst floods in recent years in 1998, when more
than 2,000 people died and almost 3 million homes were destroyed.
Seasonal flooding strikes large parts of China annually, especially in
its central and southern regions, but has been especially severe this
summer. More than 150 people have died or are missing in flooding
and landslides brought on by the torrential rains 23 of them since
Thursday alone.
About 1.8 million people have been evacuated, and direct losses attributed
to flooding are estimated at more than 49 billion yuan ($7 billion), according
to the Ministry of Emergency Management.
Nikkei says 38 million evacuated!