Two major floods caused the nearby Yaojiang River to change its course and inundated the soil with salt, forcing the people of Hemudu to abandon its settlements.
Dua banjir besar menyebabkan Sungai Yaojiang di dekatnya berubah arah dan membanjiri tanah dengan garam, memaksa orang-orang Hemudu meninggalkan permukimannya.