City in Guangxi one of the worst affected by deluge that has killed 97 in the south
People living in Wuzhou city in Guangxi are used to annual summer flooding. But few have seen anything like the current deadly inundation that has killed 97 people and displaced more than a million in six southern provinces.
Xing Guangliang , a primary school principal in Wuzhou , helped direct the city's traffic after 56 schools were forced to close by the high waters. The 26.75-metre level of the Xijiang, or West River, is threatening the record of 27.07 metres set in 1915.
Mr Xing said he was worried because the downpours had lasted for nearly two weeks. He stocked up on dry food, vegetables and water because some markets had shut.
'Many residents have set aside enough food and water at home to last for a week,' he said.
Su Jiangsheng , vice-director of Wuzhou's flood team, said water had been gushing into three-storey buildings in the city's lowest-lying area in the east. Electricity to low-lying areas was cut and one-third of the city's 3million people were affected. Mr Su said 80,000 people had to be relocated.