Getting around has become a daily challenge for residents in Liufang, a township in Jiujiang City of east China's Jiangxi Province. The small town near China's largest freshwater lake, the Poyang lake, has been inundated after heavy rains over the past week.
For many villagers, the surging water cut off their lifeline to food and daily necessities.
"This is the only route for us to go out and buy food. Now it's down in the water," said Xiao Yanlin, a resident from Hongshan, one of the dozens of villages under Liufang's jurisdiction.
The main road to the village had been flooded after heavy downfalls hit the area over a week ago. Traveling on foot is no longer an option. Villagers have to get on rubber rafts, accompanied by local firefighters.
In what has become a routine over the past week, the firemen have kept residents safe and dry and the folks of Liufang speak highly of their work.
A resident sails on a home-made raft built from a bloated truck tire and a plastic basin across a flooded alley in Liufang Township, Jiujiang City, east China's Jiangxi Province. /CGTN
"Many thanks to them. Without their help, we couldn't buy any daily necessity or food from the town," said Yu Jiangming of Laoshan village. The man also helps provide and transfer gravels to Liufang for building temporary levees against the rising water.
"They're brilliant. When we need to run an errand, they'd give us a free ride and escort us to safety," said a woman who was on the way to pick up her daughter after the high school entrance exams.
"Absolutely great, the boys did a great job," said a man surnamed Xu, who went to visit his granddaughter. "They're like my own grandsons," the 76 year-old man chuckled.
Many rescuers are in their early 20s. Pan Changliang, 23 years old, said he feels satisfied that residents are kept out of harm's way. And he's also been helped in the process.
"I think this mission a very important experience in our lives," said Pan Changliang, a firefighter of Jiujiang Fire & Rescue Unit, ducking down as the raft passed under a bridge. "I won't be afraid in the face of other future disasters and will clear any obstacle."
Firefighters take residents to villages through a flooded street in Liufang township, Jiujiang City of Jiangxi Province, east China. /CGTN
After a morning of loading, it's lunch time. But for members of the squad, it was a break of roughly five minutes. Despite the intensified rescue work, they have kept a high passion.
"To realize a man's vision, it's not always about money and power. We are happier if our humble job may be of help or contribute a little to other people's lives," said Chen Yishang of the Jiujiang division.
After gulping down their meal, Chen and others rushed back to continue their work. Tomorrow might be another regular day in this town, yet for the young firemen, it'll be another 24 hours of an uphill battle until the waters eventually subside.