Frogman braves the dark to clear sewers

Despite the dangers, sewerage workers need to unblock city drains before the floods arrive

Before beginning his descent underground, Xi Sheng puts on a gray diving suit weighing 35 kilograms with the help of two people. The suit is made of rubber, and attached to a safety rope. On most workdays, Xi wears the suit for two to three hours to work in the sewers.

People like Xi are called "sewer frogmen". Unlike the usual frogman who wears a waterproof suit and flippers, carries oxygen tanks and works in deep waters, the sewer frogman works in the sewerage system all year round to clear drainage pipes in urban areas.