When the River Rumor Ran Fast

Last spring, a heavy rain fell on a small town near a river.

By evening, a message appeared in a local chat group, saying that the dam upstream had broken.

The message spread quickly, and soon hundreds of people were packing their cars.

However, no one had checked the information with the town office.

A young teacher named Mei noticed the message and felt worried, but she also remembered that rumors often grow during storms.

Instead of joining the crowd, she called the water station and asked a simple question.

The worker told her that the dam was safe and that the river level was falling.

Mei then posted the official answer in the same chat group, with a photo of the station's notice.

Some people thanked her, while others kept sharing the old message anyway.

By midnight, the rain stopped and the streets became quiet again.

The next day, the town held a short meeting about online information.

Mei suggested that people should wait for official news before acting.

The town leader agreed and promised to send updates faster during future storms.