Mentougou school reopens after being ravaged by floods

Datai Central Primary School in Mentougou district on the outskirts of Beijing reopened on Monday, following extensive repairs and upgrades after it was hit by severe flooding in July and August.

Ma Hanyue, a student from the school, was among the many students excited to return and see how their battered campus had been transformed.

"It's like a new school because there are many new facilities. We didn't expect to see how it has become more beautiful than before," she said.

"We received a lot of help and care when we were away. It's been a precious experience for me."

For the past three months, the students had to be put in another school to study while repair work was carried out at the school in Datai subdistrict.

In late July and early August, historic torrential rains hit North China and the Yellow and Huaihe river basins, causing floods and landslides, resulting in heavy casualties in Beijing, Hebei and other places.

According to the Beijing municipal government, 33 people died and some 1.29 million people were affected.

Severe floods cut off the road to Datai as well as its electricity and water supply, making it one of the worst-hit areas in Mentougou. The infrastructure at the school was so badly damaged it became unsafe.

Gao Zengman, Party chief of the school, said all 96 students at the school and the kindergarten affiliated to it can now study in an improved environment.

Mud has been cleared out of the classrooms and damaged walls have been replaced. The heating system is also running stably so the students can stay warm, which is very important for schools in mountainous areas where temperatures fall very low in the winter, Gao said.

"What's more, the sports ground, which served as a landing pad for helicopters to carry emergency supplies during the flood, has been redecorated," said Gao.

With work to rebuild roads damaged in the flood ongoing, authorities have dispatched school buses to pick up and drop off students for their safety, he added.

According to the Mentougou government, all damaged roads in the district will be repaired before May next year.

Cao Yanyan, director of the education commission of Mentougou district, said students from three schools in the district still need to study at other schools.

"Two of the schools will be reopened as soon as possible after assessments on building safety, air quality and water condition are carried out. The other one needs complete reconstruction on a different site, which will take more time," Cao said. "We've given extra care to students who need to study elsewhere to help them adapt to new environments."