An 8-year-old girl in China's southern province of Guizhou survived a harrowing ordeal after being pulled into an underground drainage pipe by raging floodwaters. The incident occurred June 23 as she was walking home from school and stopped to retrieve a lost shoe. Swept 30 feet underground, she managed to cling to a metal bar for over seven hours in freezing water and complete darkness.
Rescuers eventually rescued the girl, who avoided serious injuries, highlighting her remarkable composure and perseverance. This dramatic rescue comes amid record-setting and catastrophic flooding in Guizhou and other parts of southern China.
Alabama Man Survives Getting Sucked Into Drain Pipe
A father in Trussville, Alabama, narrowly survived being sucked into a drainage pipe during a torrential rainstorm while trying to retrieve his son's soccer balls. He stumbled into a steep ditch and was immediately pulled into the pipe, unable to gasp for air. He described the experience as horrifying, stating he thought he was going to die.
The man was propelled over 500 feet through the pipe, passing beneath a highway and railroad tracks, in a harrowing 45-second ordeal. He managed to grab a slender tree branch at the other end, which he credits with saving his life.
Reclamation Invests Over $33 Million in Drought Resiliency for the West
The Bureau of Reclamation is announcing $33.5 million for 14 projects to improve drought resiliency through water treatment, new or improved infrastructure, and implementation of new water management tools and technology. The projects are located in California, Nebraska, Utah and Washington.
“These investments represent the continued commitment by the Department of the Interior to help build drought resilient communities throughout the West,” says Acting Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Scott Cameron. “We are empowering these local water management agencies to take the steps necessary to develop alternate water sources, transport water to areas in need, or treat previously unusable water to supplement their supplies.”
The funding is made available through annual appropriations through the WaterSMART Drought Response program. The program provides a framework for federal leadership and assistance to stretch and secure water supplies for future generations in support of the department’s priorities.
