It has been described as a once in a generation event.
Floods have inundated large parts of southern and central China after the worst torrential rains in decades. Many people are dead or missing. Entire towns are flooded and millions of displaced people.
The economic losses in dollars are believed to be in the billions. Almost two months of heavy rains have increased 433 rivers, with water at some record levels.
Chinese authorities have issued flood alerts and deployed soldiers to evacuate people and shore up levees.
Some environmentalists blame climate change. Others are concerned about the country’s dams, including the Three Gorges, which has been struggling with extreme flows of water. The dam was once a source of great national pride.
But what effects do these megaprojects have on people and the environment?
Presenter: Laura Kyle
Guests:
Dan Wang – analyst at the Access China Service of The Economist Intelligence Unit
Peter McCawley – associate professor at the Australian National University; author of Banking on the Future of Asia and the Pacific
Source: Al Jazeera News
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