‘China’s real-life transformer’: new rescue tech used in dramatic flood evacuation

It is part-boat, part-bridge and part-life raft – and in the massive floods in southern China, it has been all rescue vehicle.The foldable, self-propelled pontoon barge has emerged as a powerful new tool in the response to the disaster, used to rescue thousands of people trapped by rising waters in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.One of the biggest rescue operations took place last week at the Guangxi Logistics Vocational and Technical College in Guigang, where more than 6,000 staff and students were cut off by floodwaters nearly 5 metres (16.4 feet) deep, according to state news agency Xinhua.Rescuers marshal students in the evacuation operation. Photo: X@SpoxCHN_MaoNingBefore the barges arrived, rescuers relied mainly on inflatable and assault boats to reach those stranded but the going was slow, with only a small number of people taken out at a time.The pontoon barge is ready to be deployed. Photo: X@SpoxCHN_MaoNingThen, China-anneng-construction-group" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="165467" data-entity-type="organization">China Anneng Construction Group, a state-owned emergency rescue force, deployed three of the heavy-duty barges to the mission from last Wednesday night to Thursday.