Water levels in rivers and lakes across south China have now risen higher than the near-unprecedented levels seen in the historic floods of 1998. The development has many worried for similar loss of life and damage to property; should we be concerned?
目前，中国南方河流和湖泊的水位已经高于 1998 年历史性洪水中几乎前所未有的水位。这一发展让许多人担心类似的人员伤亡和财产损失；我们应该担心吗？
In 1998, China experienced massive flooding, that included the Yangtze River, the Nen River, the Songhua River and the Pearl River. Above average rainfall in the region for several months before and during the summer of 1998 brought double the normal amount of rainfall during the rainy season to most areas.
1998年，中国经历了特大洪水，包括长江、嫩江、松花江和珠江。 1998 年夏季之前和夏季期间，该地区的降雨量连续几个月高于平均水平，使大部分地区雨季降雨量达到正常水平的两倍。
Some regions experienced levels as much as nearly three times their historical average. Combined with above average rainfall since the previous winter, this pushed water levels to above cautionary levels.
一些地区的水平几乎是历史平均水平的三倍。加上去年冬季以来降雨量高于平均水平，导致水位升至警戒水平以上。
In all, 4,150 people died, and 180 million people were affected. 13.3 million houses were damaged or destroyed in what was considered the worst Northern China flood in 40 years.
总共有 4,150 人死亡，1.8 亿人受到影响。这场被认为是中国北方 40 年来最严重的洪水导致 1,330 万间房屋受损或被毁。
Why all the loss? Simply, the country was unprepared
为何全部亏损？简单地说，国家没有做好准备
Today, it’s a different story. But parallels remain. The Poyang Lake Basin is facing its most severe flood control situation since 1998. A total of 433 rivers across the south of China have reported waters exceeding their cautionary levels.
今天，情况有所不同。但相似之处仍然存在。鄱阳湖流域正面临1998年以来最严峻的防洪形势。华南地区共有433条河流出现超警水位。
In fact, in terms of precipitation, the average rainfall across the Yangtze River Basin since June stands at 369.9 millimetres, some 54.8 millimetres more than the same period in 1998 and the greatest since 1961.
事实上，从降水量来看，6月以来长江流域平均降水量为369.9毫米，比1998年同期多约54.8毫米，为1961年以来最多。
In our very own Nanjing, water levels this year are the third highest in history, at 10.05 metres, some 1.35 metres over the 8.7-metre cautionary level. The Yangtze Evening News reports that only the water levels of 1998 and 1954 have been higher; 10.14 and 10.22 metres, respectively.
在我们南京，今年的水位为历史第三高，达到10.05米，比8.7米警戒水位高出约1.35米。据《长江晚报》报道，只有1998年和1954年的水位较高；分别为 10.14 米和 10.22 米。
Today however, governments at all levels across the country have stronger abilities in their response to the threat of floods, while the construction of major water-conservancy projects has also been stepped up.
如今，全国各级政府应对洪涝威胁的能力不断增强，重大水利工程建设也加快推进。
China’s Increased Capabilities Safeguard Water Safety
中国保障水安全能力增强
After the events of 1998, great importance was attached to ensuring they were not repeated. The Xiaolangdi Dam in Henan Province was completed ahead of schedule in spring of 1999 to help avoid another disaster, at a cost of US$3.5 billion. Elsewhere, and famously, US$32 billion was spent during the 12 years that it took build the Three Gorges Dam, finally complete in 2012.
1998 年事件发生后，我们非常重视确保此类事件不再重演。河南省小浪底大坝于1999年春提前竣工，避免了另一场灾难，耗资35亿美元。在其他地方，著名的三峡大坝建设历时 12 年，耗资 320 亿美元，最终于 2012 年竣工。
In addition, some 312,000 kilometres of levees have been built, along with 98,800 large and small reservoirs, 104,000 sluices and 98 national flood storage and retention areas.
此外，已建成堤坝31.2万公里，大小水库9.88万座，水闸10.4万座，国家级蓄滞洪区98个。
Technology has played its role too. Back in 1998, it took 2 hours to collect flood information from more than 3,300 sites across the country. Today, data from 120,000 stations is collected in less than 10 minutes, reports The Paper.
技术也发挥了作用。早在1998年，全国3300多个站点的洪水信息收集工作就花费了2个小时。据澎湃新闻报道，如今，120,000 个站点的数据在不到 10 分钟内即可收集完毕。
So while the water levels around us continue to rise, we can take a significant degree of comfort in the measures that have been put in place since that fateful summer 22 years ago.
因此，当我们周围的水位持续上升时，我们可以对自 22 年前那个灾难性的夏天以来所采取的措施感到很大程度的安慰。
At present, the rains upstream are forecast to continue, meaning that the water levels of the Yangtze in the Nanjing stretches are predicted to remain above 10 metres for the next 2 days at least.
目前预计上游降雨仍将持续，预计未来两天长江南京段水位将维持在10米以上。
