Latest news with #floodProtection
The Sun
5 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Inside world's narrowest city home to 450,000 people who can shake hands across street – but ‘sit on edge of disaster'
THE WORLD'S narrowest city has alleyways just big enough for two people to squeeze past each other, with residents having to use bikes as the roads are too small for cars. Wedged between soaring cliff faces, Yanjin, which is located in China 's Yunnan province, is just 100 feet wide in many places. 3 3 3 The eight-mile-long city, which is divided by the Nanxi River is home to around 400,000 residents. As it is wedged between the cliffs and the river, inhabitants of the unique location have had to build upwards instead of outwards. This means that homes, shops and schools are all stacked on top of each other. In some areas, streets are so thin that people on opposite sides of the roads can hold hands. Thin bridges connect the parts of the city on both sides of the river, with houses clinging to the edge of cliff faces. As the streets are too narrow for cars, city dwellers have to use bikes or travel on foot. And the city's proximity to the river means that buildings have had to be built on tall pillars, to protect against flooding. In the rainy season, the banks of the river can swell dangerously, whilst the steep cliffs are prone to landslides, which can cause damage to the city below. Although you likely have not heard of this unusual city, it has an interesting history. Yanjin was known as the "Gateway to Sichuan and Yunnan" in ancient times and once had a key stronghold on the ancient Southern Silk Road. Inside Europe's highest capital city with no airports or train stations - but welcomes EIGHT MILLION tourists a year Many residents in the ancient city now rely on fishing and agriculture to make a living, whilst many own small businesses. As the city is too small to farm livestock in, many city folk own plots of land in the nearby area. The city is in a very remote part of China, making it extremely tricky to get to. The Chongqing-Kunming runs close to the city, so it is fairly convenient to access Yanjin by car. However, if you don't have access to a car, you will have to get a bullet train to Kunming, the provincial capital, from Shanghai, Beijing, or Hong Kong, and then take a six hour bus to Kunming. Yanjin is home to a number of local festivals such as the Lantern Festival and Dragon Boat Festival, during which the tiny streets are lit up and flooded with excited revellers. "It's truly mind-blowing to see how Yanjin has adapted to its natural environment, with its residents making the most of every inch of space available," said Drew Binsky, a YouTuber who has visited all 195 countries.
CBS News
24-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Sacramento organization fights back against U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project
SACRAMENTO — The Central Valley Flood Protection Board has a big decision to make when it comes to repairing and upgrading levees in the Sacramento region. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working on a project to do just that, but in the process, trees and other vegetation will have to be wiped out. One group is pushing back. "The amount of riparian vegetation that's been removed in the last 50 years is amazing. We're down to less than 10 percent of what we had 50 years ago," said Pete Spaulding with American River Trees. American River Trees is a grassroots organization focused on protecting Sacramento's dwindling riparian forest. But in one of the country's most at-risk areas for flooding, the Corps says levee repairs are critical. "We studied it. We wrote up a report. We sent it to Congress, and they've ordered us to do this," said Colonel Chad Caldwell with the Corps. Since we last reported on this project back in January 2024, the Corps has reduced the added protections of the levee from 11 miles to six miles roughly between Howe and Watt avenues. Within that six miles are hundreds of trees, critters and people who live along the river. "I live by the river. I understand I'm at risk for flooding," said concerned resident Jacqueline Delu. "The river itself and the trees and the plants and animals who live there have no voice." A meeting that was expected to last a few hours dragged on for roughly eight hours. "We know that there needs to be work done to prevent erosion along the parkway. We're challenging the designs that have been chosen and construction methods that have been chosen," Spaulding said. American River Trees is calling the Corps' studies outdated. They're asking to use less destructive, nature-based methods that have since become more advanced with bioengineering technology. "It's all using vegetation to control erosion and to stabilize banks," Spaulding said. "The elephant in the room, the final document states there will be between 675 and 715 trees in the footprint total. However, we are going to protect over 1,500 trees," Caldwell said. American River Trees did not agree with the final document presented at Friday's board meeting. They are asking for more thorough studies, citing the few old-growth heritage oak trees on the chopping block. "What we don't want to do is lose the bank, the levees and the people. So, yeah. Unfortunately, we are going to lose some trees, but we are also going to stabilize that part of the river so it can grow back," said Rick Johnson, the executive director of the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency. But American River Trees says taking out the trees now will add to the crisis surrounding our climate. "You don't have the healthy forest for supporting all types of wildlife, for cleaning the air. You don't get that in just five or 10 years. That takes generations to achieve," Spaulding said. A final date for a vote by the board has not been reached yet, but is expected soon. If the project is approved, the work could begin as early as this fall.
Times of Oman
21-05-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Oman signs several agreements with Islamic Development Bank Group
Algiers: The Sultanate of Oman today signed several agreements with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group to the tune ofOMR243 million to contribute to financing climate-resilient flood protection dam projects and their associated components. The signing took place on the sidelines of the 50th Annual Meeting of the Islamic Development Bank Group's Board of Governors held in Algeria. The agreements were signed by Sultan Salem Al Habsi, Minister of Finance, and Dr. Mohammed Sulaiman Al Jasser, Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank Group. Al Habsi also signed a framework memorandum aimed at achieving strategic cooperation between the two parties and enhancing economic integration with the Islamic Development Bank Group and member states. The memorandum covers several areas of cooperation, including infrastructure development, supporting the private sector, and other fields such as roads, electricity, water, sanitation, tourism, manufacturing industries and industrial zones, in addition to human and institutional capacity building.
