Thousands evacuated in path of Yangtze

July 20, 1983

Troops evacuated thousands of people from China's industrial center of Wuhan as the biggest flood on record surged down the Yangtze River and hit the city's protective dikes, the China Daily said.

The paper said the worst rains in 30 years had soaked Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, leaving almost half the main streets under water.