Flood-damaged court resumes cases

A week after closing due to torrential downpours and severe flooding, Hebei Court, a circuit tribunal with jurisdiction over Beijing Fangshan District People's Court, resumed work on Tuesday.

"I didn't expect that Hebei Court could reopen in such a short period of time," Zhao Jianguo, a divorce lawyer, told China Daily on Thursday. "I thought I would have to wait a while for my case hearing because of the flooding and the building's recovery."

On Wednesday, however, the lawsuit had already been successfully resolved through mediation in a temporary court, he said, adding that his client was happy with the result.

The temporary site was provided by the district court in its litigation service center in an effort to ensure that the wheels of justice didn't grind to a halt while the Hebei Court building, which was damaged by the flood, was restored to working condition.

Since proceedings were moved to the center and legal services initiated there on Tuesday, the makeshift facility has heard and mediated a total of six lawsuits.

As a tribunal located in the northwest mountainous area of Fangshan, judges in Hebei Court also experienced a few days without water, electricity and mobile phone signals during the flooding.

Recalling the morning of July 31, Han Yu, deputy chief judge of the court, said the Dashi River near the court is normally dry. But as torrential rains fell the water level rose sharply and water soon breached the riverbanks.

Around 10:30 am that day, the court's main gate was suddenly forced open by the ensuing floodwaters, which quickly inundated the first floor of the court building.

"Several men rushed to close the gate, but the water was too fast and strong," Han said. "What's worse, three cars, which had been washed away by the flood, were also forced inside the compound, making it more difficult to shut the gate."

She said the gate was eventually closed after Li Wenda, a judge at the court, pushed a ladder against it.

Meanwhile, all legal documents and materials on the first floor were moved to the second floor as requested by Ma Yanjia, chief judge of the court, to prevent them from being lost or damaged.

On the afternoon of Aug 1, when the rains began to ease, Han and Ma scaled a hill beside the court to try and get mobile phone reception.

Standing high above the floodwaters, Han successfully contacted her family. After telling them she was safe, she posted a statement on her WeChat account, saying, "We've safeguarded our court, and everyone is safe."

All of the 16 affected residential communities in Fangshan had their power supply and mobile phone communication services restored by Monday.

The Fangshan district court said that it has also sent workers to help restore the Hebei Court building to working order in recent days, adding that "local litigants will soon be able to enjoy legal services on their doorstep".