Chinese University Flooded 5 Meters Deep: Rescue Barge Gains Attention

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 using a foldable barge after flooding reached a depth of 5 meters due to the 10th typhoon of the season, Maysak.

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

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

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

Videos capturing the rescue process at the scene have become a hot topic 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), introducing it as China's "real-life Transformers."

Before the barge was deployed, rescue teams used rubber lifeboats, which faced difficulties due to the extremely limited number of people they could evacuate 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 severe cold.

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