Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 931 - 622: Taking a Gamble!

At four fifty-eight in the morning, Han Yu and Hao Qiusheng rushed to the danger zone in Yang Liu Village.

The two couldn't spare a moment to greet the county leaders. While listening to Master Xu, Sun Youyi, and Zou Xiangyu analyze the peril, they conducted an on-site inspection of the emergency construction site.

"The urgent priority is to find the leak point first. If we can't find the leak point and plug it quickly, even if we fill the hollowed-out river dike, it won't help."

"How can we fill it without stone materials? County Magistrate Huang just called the City Flood Control Command asking when the stone materials will arrive, but the City Flood Control Command still doesn't know!"

"We'll talk about the stone materials later, let's first discuss how to find the leak point and how to plug it."

"The seepage point within the dike is over thirty meters from the main dike, and the leak point on the waterside might be far from the dike as well, possibly not directly opposite the seepage area. The river is so wide, the water is so deep, and the current is so fast; even if navy divers arrive in time, giving them a day, they might not find it."

Han Yu furrowed his brow and asked, "Can the main dike hold for a day?"

Master Xu pondered for a moment, and worriedly replied, "I just went down to check; the current seepage speed is faster than two hours ago. At this rate, coupled with the waterside toe having an eleven-meter-long, over two-meter-deep, near-four-meter-high large hole, it's hard to say if the dike can hold for twenty hours."

"What is the county's plan?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"The county is making dual plans, both securing and ensuring the safety of the people under the dike."

Han Yu pressed further, "How to ensure safety?"

Master Xu took several deep breaths, and solemnly said, "If there's a breach here, the floodwaters will inundate two townships within an hour; the county has just ordered Party cadres of these townships to organize the evacuation of the populace."

Hao Qiusheng whispered, "Only two townships?"

"There are many enclosures here, and it's within the Jingjiang Flood Diversion Project area. As long as the river dikes and problematic sluices of nearby townships hold, the losses can be minimized."

"When the flood peak came, we didn't divert, yet now we have to— is it too much..."

"Secretary Han, it's the only option left."

"Two townships, at least twenty or thirty thousand people, and the early rice is about to mature. If they're flooded now, the losses will be huge!"

"The county must first ensure the safety of the people's lives."

Seeing everyone looking at each other, Master Xu helplessly said, "Master Xi and Mayor Shen are both at the Jingzhou Flood Control Command. They just called me, reminding me to ensure the safety of all battalion soldiers."

Han Yu knew some about the situation in Angong County, clearly understanding that the county leaders wouldn't order the populace's evacuation unless absolutely necessary.

Several civil dikes in the county have been flooded already, displacing tens of thousands; such great losses cannot occur again!

Han Yu turned to look at the inner side of the main dike, and pondered, "The county leaders' decision is correct; the urgent priority is ensuring the safety of the populace. But we can't sit and wait for the divers to find the leak, nor the city and county to gather emergency supplies."

Hao Qiusheng asked, "Then what to do?"

"Finding and plugging the leak is unreliable, even if we could find and successfully plug it within twelve hours, who can guarantee it won't leak again?"

Han Yu crouched down, drawing on the ground as he continued, "The county is making dual plans, and we can make dual plans too. With twelve hours, as long as the danger zone doesn't collapse and breach within twelve hours, we can build an enclosure like a moat on the seepage side here."

Hao Qiusheng realized, "Build an arc-shaped dry dike!"

Sun Youyi quickly calculated and said, "The total length has to be at least sixty meters, with a ground elevation not less than fifteen meters, a dike top width of no less than four meters, and it can't just be piled up. It must be as compacted as possible, otherwise, it won't withstand the flood impact after a breach. This project is quite large; twelve hours might not be enough."

"That's why we're making dual plans."

Han Yu turned to point to the soil collection point, "Isn't the county trying to gather woven sacks? We'll tackle it with two hands: one hand collecting soil for dike building, the other rushing to fill and pack sandbag cages. If the elevation isn't enough, sandbags come to compensate. I don't believe we can't stop the flood!"

This is definitely a solution, and a very reliable solution, much more reliable than finding and plugging the leak.

Master Xu found this approach feasible but thought about it and still shook his head, "Secretary Han, such emergency rescue is too dangerous. If we rescue like this, all personnel and equipment must work under the dike. If the dike suddenly breaches, all personnel and equipment will be swept away by the flood!"

"Then we'll make quadruple plans."

"What quadruple plans?"

"Temporarily disregard the leak point in the river, and when the stone materials from the city flood command arrive, first fill the foot of the dike hollowed by the flood as much as possible to ensure the dike body doesn't collapse. Meanwhile, assign personnel to closely monitor the dike situation. If there's any sign of dike breach, we'll organize personnel and equipment to evacuate to higher ground."

Han Yu thought again and looked up to ask, "President Hao, do you think it's feasible?"

Hao Qiusheng weighed the options and decisively said, "We'll advance on both fronts, with two soil construction teams working simultaneously from both sides. But before construction, we must first build a passage to higher ground to evacuate quickly if there's any sign of dike breach."

"We've brought two assault boats; they must be inflated and transported to inside the dike quickly. If the dike really breaches, the brothers from the Third Company can promptly rescue people under the dike."

"Everyone must wear life jackets."

"Bring over 001. If there's any sign of dike breach, the loudspeaker on 001 can be used to notify personnel and equipment to evacuate in time."

"The main boom of the No. 1 excavator needs to be replaced; digging with the extended boom is too slow."

"Alright, let's do it this way!"

Seeing everyone had no objections, all were willing to take a gamble.

Han Yu immediately stood up and issued the command: "President Hao, organize the commencement immediately!"

"Yes!"

"Master Sun, bring the technical personnel and quickly mark the lines."

"Sure!"

"Master Xu, please inform the county leaders about our emergency response plan."

"Salted Fish, President Hao, is this emergency response too dangerous, should you reconsider?"

Before Han Yu could respond, Hao Qiusheng said firmly: "There's no time to reconsider, this is the best plan at the moment. Master Xu, if you're really worried, please help us keep an eye on the dike and alert us immediately if needed."

They're going all in!

This is completely different from their previous "safety first" plans.

Master Xu felt a pang in his heart and said chokingly: "From now on, I will stand on the dike without leaving. If the dike breaches, the first one to be swept away will be me, not you."

"Master Xu, what are you saying, please don't scare us like that."

"Alright, I'll inform them."

"Time is tight; we need to act separately."

"Yes!"

With one command, everyone started to toil separately.

Han Yu couldn't spare time to help Master Sun mark the lines, nor to greet the county leaders rushing towards him, he quickly took out his phone to report to Deputy Mayor Shen.

The Jingzhou Flood Control Command is set up in the City Water Resources Bureau, same as the Binjiang Defense Command.

Starting tonight, Deputy Mayor Shen and Huang Yuanchang, who joined the command yesterday afternoon, will take turns on duty.

Compared to other personnel on duty, he and Huang Yuanchang have relatively easier work, simply ordering Han Yu in the name of the First Secretary of the Linghai Reserve Camp at the request of the command, and directing the allocation of needed materials based on the situation of Han Yu's emergency response tasks.

Due to the severe danger of the dyke section in Yang Liu Village, Angong County, and the extreme scarcity of emergency materials and forces, both City Flood Control and Angong County Command share the same attitude towards Yang Liu Village's dyke danger: the urgent task is to evacuate residents and ensure their safety.

As for deploying the Linghai Reserve Camp for support, the order was issued with a mindset of treating a dead horse as if it were alive.

If they succeed in protecting the dike, that's ideal.

If they can't save it, there will be nothing more to say.

That's why Deputy Mayor Shen and Master Xi made calls to the camp, asking Han Yu and Hao Qiusheng to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment.

Upon receiving Han Yu's report, Deputy Mayor Shen was taken aback.

"Mayor Shen, what's wrong?"

"Mayor Liu, all personnel and equipment from our Linghai Reserve Camp have arrived at the dangerous section in Yang Liu Village. Camp Commander Han Yu and Deputy Battalion Commander Hao Qiusheng have adjusted the emergency response plan submitted an hour and a half ago based on the situation from onsite inspection."

Deputy Mayor Liu is not only the Vice Mayor in charge of water conservancy but also the Chief Commander of the Jingzhou Flood Control Command. He quickly looked for the emergency response plan recorded by Deputy Mayor Shen based on Han Yu's call an hour and a half ago, reading while asking: "How do your subordinates plan to adjust?"

"They intend to build a cofferdam outside of the piping and seepage points, to be precise, constructing a sixty-meter-long dry dam."

"Will it be in time?"

"They estimate it will take twelve hours."

"With the piping and erosion at the dam foot, the dangerous dike could breach anytime; constructing below it like this is too dangerous!"

Deputy Mayor Shen is equally worried, but the comrades at the front line have already decided; he neither can nor should oppose it, so he clenched his fist and said: "Our comrades are determined, they unanimously believe this is the most reliable emergency response plan. Only by hastening to build a cofferdam can we ensure all is safe."

This is gambling with hundreds of lives and machinery worth millions, betting the dangerous dyke won't breach within twelve hours!

Normally, Deputy Mayor Liu would definitely not agree.

But now is not a normal time; many people live under the dike, even if evacuation can be completed by dawn, if the dike suddenly breaches, no one can guarantee that the red-marked riverbank on the map won't be swept away by the floodwaters, then more than just two towns would be flooded…

Deputy Mayor Liu did not know what to say, only trying hard to control his emotions, he nodded heavily.

"Well done! This is the People's Army, I wonder who in the future dares to say the Reserve Forces aren't regular troops, who dares to say the Reserve Force officers are like a group of laborers!"

A general walked in, patting Deputy Mayor Shen's arm, then turned to ask: "Chief of Staff Jiang, what troops are in Angong?"

"There are six units in total, the 132 regiment of the 404 division is closest to the dyke section of Yang Liu Village."

"Order the 132 regiment to assist Yang Liu Village immediately."

"Yes!"