Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 1004 - 661: All Port Supervision Is One Family

The speed of reinforcement was very fast, and the efficiency was very high, but the participating officers and soldiers were not as relaxed as they appeared on the surface.

To "load and unload" so many sandbags in such a short time, whether on the ship or onshore, the physical exhaustion of each person was immense, leaving everyone utterly exhausted.

When the officers and soldiers of the 132 Regiment, including Du Yuan, persevered in transporting the remaining sandbags ashore, Han Yu immediately ordered Xu Mingyuan and others carrying out reinforcement tasks in the floodwaters to get on the ship to bathe.

This area could be described as a "flooded area," and as they sailed along, the water surface not only had human and animal excrement floating but also quite a few dead pigs and sheep!

The water was contaminated, and if they didn't bathe quickly and thoroughly with soap, it would be easy to contract diseases.

Considering they were already here, they couldn't just leave like this.

Han Yu instructed Captain Fan and Zhu Baogen to navigate 001 around the "island" to assist Master Xu in using the underwater detection system on 001 to take an X-ray of the entire civil dike.

The civil dike was large, and the navigation conditions were poor, making this task extensive and taking at least ten hours to complete at the earliest.

Han Yu couldn't wait here; he used the high-frequency radio on 001 to call Chen Zikun, instructing him and Xiao Gong to drive the Yangtze Police 110 boat to pick them up.

While waiting for the Yangtze Police 110 to pick them up, he and Political Commissar Yang followed the muddy path with Captain Zheng to the regiment command post about five hundred meters from the dike.

Not knowing what to expect, they were shocked at what they saw.

Of the seven standing committee members of the regiment, only one was on duty at the command post, while the other six, including Captain Zheng, were fighting against the continuously rising floodwaters on the dike.

In the past twenty-four hours, five officers and soldiers had already collapsed.

Two were running a high fever of 40 degrees Celsius and were receiving IV fluids at the town health clinic.

One fainted on the dike and was carried back by the soldiers.

Another one stepped on glass during an emergency rescue operation, cutting a seven to eight centimeter long wound on their foot, losing a lot of blood, and had just gone to the village health room for bandaging...

There were even more cases of sore groins, diarrhea, and colds.

Captain Zheng briefly introduced the situation and said with a bitter smile, "The armed police side is about the same; although the comrades are very tired and many are sick or injured, it's all worth it as long as we can hold our ground."

Political Commissar Yang felt uneasy and instinctively looked at Han Yu.

Han Yu understood what Political Commissar Yang wanted to say, and quietly said, "Captain Zheng, let the sick comrades and wounded follow us back. Conditions on our side are better, with doctors, nurses, and medicine."

"Alright, I'll trouble you with that."

"It's no trouble."

"Another thing, can we get a few more boats of sandbags like before?"

"No problem, we'll strive to send you ten thousand bags daily, but we're short on hands, so after transporting them over, you'll need to arrange your officers and soldiers to help with loading and unloading."

"Loading and unloading is a minor issue. Don't laugh at us; what we need most now are emergency rescue materials."

"The material issue shouldn't be significant; now people across the country are supporting the Beihu flood control. The tension in flood prevention materials here is mainly due to transportation difficulties."

Han Yu opened his briefcase, took out the waterway map drafted earlier, and continued, "We're here today not only to assist you in plugging breaches but also to clear and mark the waterways. Our chief navigator has already reported to the Shishou City Flood Control Office, and the city will surely organize fleets to continuously transport emergency and disaster relief materials to this area."

Once the channel for transporting materials is opened, this place will no longer be an isolated island.

Captain Zheng said happily, "That's great, thank you!"

Even though there was no longer any concern about materials, Han Yu was not at ease. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Captain Zheng, the reason I didn't go to the town government or discuss it in detail with Mayor Shen was mainly because there are things I can't say to him nor can I let him know."

"What things?"

"Political Commissar, better that you say it."

Political Commissar Yang didn't know how to begin, but since it concerned the safety of more than forty thousand soldiers and civilians, he couldn't remain silent even if it was difficult. So he braced himself and said, "Old Zheng, the rain isn't stopping; it's falling not only here but in Hanwu as well, even upstream."

Without hesitation, Captain Zheng replied, "What about the rain? As long as there are continuous emergency materials, we can raise the dike as high as the water rises! We failed to hold the earlier civil dikes; the reason ten thousand residents retreated to this place is not for lack of effort by us or the community leaders and residents, but mainly due to a lack of materials. It can be said we had nothing when we needed it."

"Materials are one aspect, but...but..."

"But what is it?"

"How high have you piled the sub-dikes here?"

"One and a half meters."

Political Commissar Yang asked intently, "Even with an endless supply of materials, how much higher can you pile them?"

Captain Zheng was at a loss for words, not knowing how to answer for a moment.

Political Commissar Yang took a water map from Han Yu's hand, spread it in front of him, and solemnly pointed to it, saying, "Our main forces are stationed at Diao Xiankou, where the Jingjiang South Embankment and Ba Yi Dam intersect, because this place is the most dangerous.

This section of Jingjiang runs north-south and takes a sharp turn at Diao Xiankou. Floodwaters reaching here are blocked by the Jingjiang South Embankment and Ba Yi Dam, causing poor drainage.

If the Jingjiang South Embankment, Ba Yi Dam, or Diao Xiankou Gate can't be held, the floodwaters will not only wash away several towns and the Angong Jingjiang Flood Diversion Zone on the opposite bank of Shishou but also rush through Huarong River into Dongting Lake, flooding several districts and counties in the Nanhu Province Dongting Lake basin."

Captain Zheng looked at the map and asked, "Your equipment is good; whether you can hold it is your business. What does it have to do with us?"

"Even with the best equipment, we can only manage one or two emergent crises. It's impossible to reinforce over a hundred kilometers of dike overnight to make it impregnable. So whether it can be held depends on not just our emergency rescue assault teams but also the cadres and people along the district and county lines."

Political Commissar Yang paused and then continued, "Salted Fish and I really want to say that the civil dike you're holding affects the flood discharge from a geographical standpoint. If you evacuate and abandon defense, it could reduce the pressure on the Jingjiang South Embankment and Ba Yi Dam, and even lessen the flood control pressure on the Jingjiang Embankment."

Captain Zheng asked in astonishment, "To divert floods here!"

Some words can't be spoken lightly.

Han Yu hurriedly said, "Captain Zheng, what Political Commissar Yang mentioned is merely the opinion of flood control experts, but given the current situation, we cannot rule out this possibility."

"But we've been guarding for so many days, and the town's cadres and people have been guarding even longer. If we really divert the flood here, where will so many people go? This is their home!"

"If it really comes to that, we may only be able to sacrifice the small family for the larger one. Furthermore, it doesn't count as flood diversion; it's just favorable for flood discharge."

"Whether it's flood diversion or flood discharge, why can't other places do it? There is Jingjiang flood diversion project over at Angong, why isn't it being used!"

"There are even more people in the Jingjiang flood diversion project area, and once activated the losses will be greater. Also, regarding whether to use it or not, the National Council in its scheme for defense against major Yangtze floods formulated back in 1985 explicitly states that only when the Shashi water level reaches 44.67 meters and is expected to continue rising, can the North Gate of the Jingjiang flood diversion project be opened."

Han Yu took a deep breath and after a pause, said meaningfully, "As for this side, let's not say whether the superior will issue an order to abandon defense; just judging from the current rainfall and water conditions, how high can your sub-dam be piled, and how long can this civil dike be defended?"

This is a very realistic problem.

The sub-dam is built with sandbags, the higher you go, the harder it is to pile.

Thinking about the rising water level outside, Captain Zheng furrowed his brow and asked, "Really abandon defense?"

"That depends on the situation in the coming days."

After a moment of silence, Han Yu said gravely, "Let's put it this way, today the superior not only tasked us with opening the material transport channel but also the channel for organizing the evacuation of the people. But we cannot shake the morale of the military and public at this critical juncture, this is something I can only tell you."

"What's the use of telling me?"

"At the very least, preparations can be made in advance to assist locals in organizing the people's evacuation."

"If it really can't be defended, will your group participate in the evacuation?"

"No."

"No?"

"If it really can't be defended, it means the dry embankments on both sides of Jingjiang are extremely endangered, and by then we'll definitely need to perform even more critical rescue tasks. Moreover, our ship tonnage is too large and its draft too deep, moving in will not only easily run aground but also block the waterway that's been hard to open."

Having risked so much guarding for days, only to be guarding a civil dike that may have to be abandoned!

Captain Zheng felt very disheartened and asked in a low voice, "Should the Armed Police be notified?"

"Their superior will likely notify them privately."

"By notifying me, does this mean you're our superior now?"

"How could we be your superior? It's mainly because the surrounding area is flooded, the electricity is out inside the dike, telephone lines are cut, and there's not even any mobile signal. Your division commander couldn't reach you, so they asked us to pass on the message."

"Understood, I'll make preparations in advance."

"For the time being, don't let the public know."

"I understand."

Just as this was being said, Chen Zikun's call was heard through the walkie-talkie.

The Yangtze Police 110 boat arrived, Han Yu and Political Commissar Yang couldn't stay here long and hurriedly took the wounded from the 127 Regiment to board the ship at the embankment.

...

At the same time, the embankment section managed by Jingzhou Port Supervision Bureau and Changhang Jingzhou Public Security Bureau was abuzz with activity.

The torrential rain began again, the water level at Shashi rose once more, and over two hundred personnel from several Jingzhou units within the Changhang System started digging soil and filling sandbags from eleven last night, loading sandbags onto the embankment, strengthening the sub-dam faced against the first and second flood peaks.

Despite fighting hard for nearly twelve hours, each person was exhausted to the point of being unable to straighten their backs, but the embankment section hadn't been reinforced for long, nor could it be reinforced very high.

Old Ge felt that having benefitted from Changhang, he should take every opportunity to give back.

While organizing the force with Hao Qiusheng, Gu Pengfei, Vice Minister Li, and others to rescue the danger on the opposite side, he found a moment to send over four ships loaded with sandbags and organized the 2nd Battalion of the 132 Regiment to temporarily take over the embankment, helping them with urgent reinforcement and fortification.

"Comrades, move faster, push harder, we only have half an hour!"

"Boat 6, Boat 6, can you move closer to the shore, the sandbags are falling into the water! Yes, yes, just like that, come over a bit more."

Hao Qiusheng, Gu Pengfei, Vice Minister Li were organizing rescue across the embankment, so only Old Ge personally directed here, and in fact, such key tasks needed his expert command.

One policeman from the Changhang Jingzhou Branch was moved to tears, unable to stop himself from asking, "Are there brothers from the Binjiang Branch?"

Old Ge took off the hood of his raincoat, holding up a portable loudspeaker, shouted, "Young man, we don't have police from the Binjiang Branch here. They are either rescuing on the Shishou side or supporting Hanwu."

"Director Ge, are there any brothers from the Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau here?"

"The Port Supervision is here."

Old Ge aimed the loudspeaker at Boat 5, shouting, "Li Jianwei, Hu Genhua, the comrades of Jingzhou Port Supervision Bureau want to see you, quickly show yourselves to greet the comrades of Jingzhou Port Supervision Bureau!"

Li Jianwei and Hu Genhua, who were busy moving sandbags on the boat, paused for a moment, then quickly straightened up to wave to their colleagues on the shore.

Everyone says that all under heaven police are a family.

Actually, the port supervision on the boat and the port supervision on the shore are truly one family, because they all belong to the Yangtze Port Supervision System, all are part of the Ministry of Transport Port Supervisor.

As Old Ge expected, there was another round of cheer from the Jingzhou Port Supervision Bureau staff on the shore.

Deputy Director Zhou of Jingzhou Port Supervision Bureau was choked with emotion, waving to colleagues on the boat, saying, "Director Ge, thank you."

"It's a small effort, no need to thank."

Old Ge glanced back inside the embankment, thought for a moment, then said, "Once the danger on the opposite side is managed, if the main force has time, I'll bring the main force here to help you properly reinforce this embankment section."