A drainage worker in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province, stood in water for almost 10 hours to keep people away from an open drain, the lid of which had been washed away by strong flooding, Wuhan Evening News reported.

Yang Hongliang, the worker, started to stand watch at the drain on Hongqiqu Road at 8 pm on Monday.

“Watch your step! There is a hole there,” he shouted to passers-by.

“I have to stay until the water is drained away,” he told Wuhan Evening News.

According to local water authorities, 168 million cubic meters of rain fell on Wuhan from Friday to Sunday - quarter of the usual annual rainfall - seriously flooding more than 50 sections of road.

Yang worked day and night helping to drain the flooding. The lids of some drains were washed away by the floods, putting lives of passers-by in great danger.

Signs were set near the open drains, and workers were also assigned to warn people of the danger. The waters were not drained until 5:30 pm the next day.