Not Singing in the Rain

On my recent trip to Anhui I wrote about all the rain and flooding I saw. Anhui province is right next to my province, Zhejiang, and apparently we have’t been spared either. Record levels of rain have been making news all over the world (it was even on the front page of msn.com so you know that’s big), and I’ve been getting a number of worried e-mails and messages from friends.
Here in Lin’an, the flooding isn’t so bad. Oh sure, I’ve had to walk through some wicked big puddles, and the storm drains fill up pretty quickly when a downpour begins, but as soon as it ends, everything drains. It’s wet and marshy (and I think everyone is growing mold because we haven’t seen the sun for several weeks) but there is no real damage.
I wish I could say the same for other people nearby. In an MSN article they said over 2 million people in Zhejiang have been affected by the flooding, and more than 170 people have died this month. (Although that takes into account flooding in other parts of China as well.) There have been flash floods, roads washing away and mudslides all over the place.
Of course crops are being majorly affected as well. Rain is good in the springtime to help the new crops flourish. But being under a foot or two of water? Not so much. Chinese farmers have already had to deal with the exploding watermelons, so now with this, many could go bankrupt and be forced to move into the cities to find work. And I’m sure there will be a price hike for consumers to deal with.
Unfortunately there is no good news yet. The weather is predicting either clouds or rain showers for another solid week. (Although I’ve got my fingers crossed my birthday on Sunday will be clear as I am planning an outdoor barbecue party.) Hopefully the breaks in between the storms will give the ground enough time to dry up and the crops a chance to grow. Keep you fingers crossed for us!