Chinese University Flooded 5 Meters Deep: 'Transformer' Barge Rescues Thousands

A foldable, pontoon-style barge has emerged as a vital life-saving tool during typhoon disasters in China.

The South China Morning Post reported today that thousands of students and faculty members at the Guangxi Logistics Vocational Technical College in Guigang, southern China, were safely evacuated after floodwaters reached a depth of 5 meters due to the impact of Typhoon Maysak.

China Anneng Construction Group, a state-owned emergency rescue agency, deployed three barges to the flooded site. Over a period of approximately 11 hours on July 8 and 9, they successfully evacuated over 6,000 people to safety.

The barge, which is approximately 60 meters long and 8 meters wide with a load capacity of 60 tons, is equipped with its own propulsion system, allowing it to travel at a speed of about 10.8 km/h even when fully loaded with passengers.

The rescue agency stated that the modular design allowed the equipment to be deployed at the scene in just over 10 minutes.

Videos capturing the rescue operation at the scene have gone viral on Chinese social media.

Chinese netizens commented, "It looks like an aircraft carrier for water rescues," and "It looks very safe."

Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), describing it as China's "real-life Transformers."

Before the barge was deployed, rescue teams had been using rubber lifeboats, which struggled with the operation due to the extremely limited number of people they could carry at one time.

China Hazon Industry, the manufacturer of the barge, stated on its website that the vessel can be used in extreme environments, including high-altitude areas at 3,300 meters above sea level and regions with extreme cold.

(Photo: SCMP video capture, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.