China Crisis

A massive thunder storm hit in the middle of the night. We were woken at about 1 o clock by a crashing and banging like we've never heard before. It was rattling around the Karsts like an angry giant.  The lightning was flashing on and off all around as though a naughty child were mucking about with the light switch. I happened to look out at one point in the direction of a huge flash, and a sort of Harry Potter zig zag burnt itself on to my retinas for a few minutes. The rain was hosing down. 
And then the power went off, and with it the air conditioning and all forms of communication. This went on for several hours and as I now have LooseCanon's cold and cough I spent a few very uncomfortable and sweaty hours tossing and turning on my rock hard Chinese bed ( as they all seem to be) dozing off dreaming about what would happen if one were struck by lightning while wearing an under wired bra, only to be woken again by the next crash as the monster grumbled and rumbled off into the distance hurling final insults over his shoulder as he retreated.
We were supposed to be going up to the paddy fields today to see the beautiful terraces of rice. But that isn't going to happen now, because the hotel is surrounded by flood water as far as the eye can see, the reception is awash and there are chickens halfway up the stairs retreating from the inundation. We have received messages to wait patiently until we can get out. We'll be lucky to catch our flight to Shanghai tomorrow.
Under the water in the photo is a road bridge and a garden.