Aussies caught up in China's zero-COVID tensions
Protests have broken out across Shanghai as frustration grows over China's zero-COVID policy.
The tough stance has left Australians trapped in the country, with many fearing what will happen next.
Aussie expat Kimbra Power has lived in China for 18 years and told Today the riots have spread and what she has seen on the ground is "just awful".
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Protests have broken out across Shanghai as frustration grows over China's zero-COVID policy. AP
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"The current situation's definitely escalated and you don't know what's going to happen next really because it's a volatile situation and people are panicking," she said.
Power assured her family back home that she does feel safe for now but added a lot of her colleagues do not.
"They live a lot closer to where the action is right now," she said.
"People are very frustrated the way things are going right now all over.
"It's really scary and these poor people protesting are just everyday people and they've had enough."
The tough stance has left Australians trapped in the country, with many fearing what will happen next. Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Power said there had been months and months of uncertainty and the measures taken for a few COVID-19 cases are "completely overreactive".
"Everything you see on television is true and real and most people in China aren't seeing that, you see," she said.
"The media really tamps everything down here so a lot of people don't know what's going on to the full extent it's happening."
Watch the full interview with Kimbra Power above.
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