Erinome:Hello dear friends, today we are going to talk about the flash floods in Yuzhong, Gansu Province. Enceladus, have you heard about this sad news?  

Enceladus:Oh no, that’s terrible! When did it happen?  

Erinome:It started on August 7th. Heavy rain caused flash floods in Yuzhong County, Lanzhou City.  

Enceladus:How serious was the rain? Was it normal?  

Erinome:Wow, it was historical! Some places in southern Yuzhong got 56% of their annual rainfall in just 15 hours. Three weather stations broke their daily records since 2002.  

Enceladus:Oh no, that’s way too much. What damage did the floods bring?  

Erinome:Sad to say, 13 people died and 30 are still missing. Eight towns were affected. Roads, power lines, and communication were badly damaged. Some villages were cut off.  

Enceladus:That’s really sad. Did the rescue start quickly?  

Erinome:Yes! The government and many groups acted fast. Thousands of rescuers came, like firefighters, soldiers, and police.  

Enceladus:What did the rescuers do first?  

Erinome:They tried to save people. For example, in Jiuzhuanggou Village, they walked through mud and water to find trapped people. Some even used ropes to help each other walk safely.  

Enceladus:That sounds dangerous. Were there any big difficulties in rescue?  

Erinome:Yes, the area is mountainous, with high altitude (over 2500 meters). People live far apart, and roads were broken. Once, a 30-minute drive took 5 hours because they had to walk and find other paths.  

Enceladus:Oh wow, that’s hard work. What about banks? Did they help with money needs?  

Erinome:Yes! ICBC (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China) did a lot. Their branches in Yuzhong checked their equipment first, like drains and power, to keep working.  

Enceladus:What services did they offer to people?  

Erinome:They used small smart devices to help people transfer money, report lost cards, and open online banking. They also made a “green channel” for disaster funds, so money could go quickly.  

Enceladus:Did they stay open longer?  

Erinome:Yes! Their branches open until 9 PM every day. They have special windows for rescue money and emergency cash. For old or sick people, staff go to their homes to help.  

Enceladus:That’s really helpful. What about the people who lost their homes? Where are they now?  

Erinome:They are in shelters. Some are in hotels, like in Qilihe District, Lanzhou. Each room has a bathroom, clean beds, and food like boxed meals and water.  

Enceladus:How many people have been moved to shelters?  

Erinome:Almost 10,000 people. One big shelter is Yuzhong No.3 Middle School, with 170 people from Malian滩 Village. They eat in the school canteen, which has enough meat and vegetables.  

Enceladus:Glad they have food and a safe place. What about farmers? Their crops must be ruined.  

Erinome:You’re right. Vegetable greenhouses and fields were damaged. Mud and stones covered the fields, and water flooded the greenhouses.  

Enceladus:Is there help for them to start again?  

Erinome:Yes! Agricultural experts went to help. They suggested ways like fixing the greenhouse walls, digging drains to remove water, and cleaning mud from fields.  

Enceladus:What else can farmers do?  

Erinome:They need to help fallen plants stand up, wash the leaves with clean water, and add fertilizer to the soil. Experts also said to spray medicine to prevent plant diseases.  

Enceladus:That’s good advice. Are roads and power back now?  

Erinome:Yes! By August 9th evening, all villages had road access again. Power and communication were mostly back. Three towns have water supply, helping 12,000 people.  

Enceladus:That’s progress. But the search for missing people is still going on, right?  

Erinome:Yes, the government said they’ll keep searching carefully. They also want to make sure everyone has food, clothes, beds, clean water, and medical help.  

Enceladus:It’s sad to hear about the disaster, but good to see everyone working together. People helping each other is really important.  

Erinome:Exactly. Let’s hope Yuzhong recovers soon. Okay, that's it for today. Let's talk again next time.