Water World

Orange island no longer lives up to its name. The citrus trees that once grew here have long given way to a dense warren of houses and shops. And in recent days, the Xiang River's mustard-colored waters have submerged much of the island itself. Anxious residents in skiffs and rafts paddle their belongings to higher ground or to the river bank a few hundred meters away. A dozen families live in the open air on a concrete sidewalk within sight of their flooded homes and businesses. Rao Houxing stacks a few crates of soda and soy milk that he's salvaged from...