Shops and houses hit as creek overflows

By Lu Feiran and Li Xinran  |   2008-6-6  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

HOUSE and shops along a section of Suzhou Creek in Huangpu District were flooded early yesterday.

The flooding happened where renovations are being carried out to the creek's flood walls. Water surged to 4.27 meters, but the wall is only 4 meters high.

One storeowner said he had more than 200,000 yuan (US$28,800) in damage. The water also damaged an elevator in a nearby office building.

Houses in Lane 316 on Beijing Road E. and five stores on Suzhou Road S. also suffered water damage. A resident called Huang said water was 10 centimeters high in his room at about 1:30am.

In another home there was 30 centimeters of water.

Officials from Shanghai Flood Control Headquarters said work was being carried out at two sites along the creek to strengthen the flood prevention wall and maintain the Henan Road Bridge.

"A temporary parking lot was there right under the wall, thus both sites didn't realize what had happened until water leaked," said Zhang Zhenyu.

Zhang said immediate measures were taken to heighten and strengthen the wall and drain the water. "Sandbags were used temporarily, and then cement was added."