By Kingbob86 (Timothy) - Wikipedia
At least six people have died and more than 80,000 have been forced to flee their homes following severe flooding in China’s Guizhou province, according to reports from state media. The disaster unfolded as a tropical depression made landfall in the southern island province, intensifying weather-related disruptions across the country.
State broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday that “exceptionally large floods” have devastated Rongjiang county in Guizhou since Tuesday. The region, classified by Chinese authorities as part of the country’s southwest, has activated its highest-level emergency flood response. Approximately 80,900 residents have been evacuated as a result of the ongoing disaster.
“By 11am on Thursday, six people had unfortunately lost their lives,” the broadcaster said, citing information from the local flood control headquarters.
Widespread flooding has inundated many low-lying areas in the county, severely damaging infrastructure across several towns. The disaster has led to traffic standstills, communication outages, and instances of residents being trapped by rising waters.
However, authorities stated that water levels in the county had since receded below the official warning threshold. “Post-disaster recovery and reconstruction are underway, along with ongoing efforts to locate any remaining trapped individuals,” CCTV added.
Additional details reported by the state-run Xinhua News Agency revealed that a football field in Rongjiang was submerged under nearly three meters (10 feet) of water. One resident described being rescued from the third floor of their house. Images distributed by Xinhua showed emergency personnel conducting rescue operations, while temporary shelters in the form of tents have been erected to accommodate displaced residents.
In other areas of Guizhou where floodwaters have receded, citizens have begun the arduous cleanup process. Many have been seen removing thick mud and debris from the lower levels of commercial and residential buildings, signaling the start of a long road to recovery.
Meanwhile, the country’s National Meteorological Centre reported that a tropical depression made landfall in Hainan province early Thursday morning. The system is expected to pass through the city of Wenchang and the island’s northeast before re-entering the South China Sea. From there, forecasts predict it will make a second landfall in China’s southern Guangdong province, weakening gradually as it continues inland.
The storm is likely to put renewed pressure on the flood defences of Guangdong, one of China’s most densely populated provinces, as well as the neighbouring inland provinces of Guangxi and Hunan.
This latest disaster comes as China grapples with a summer marked by increasingly extreme weather. Earlier this week, Beijing authorities issued a second-highest level heat warning during one of the capital’s hottest days of the year to date.
Just last week, tens of thousands of residents in Hunan – which borders Guizhou – were evacuated due to torrential rains triggered by Typhoon Wutip, further highlighting the ongoing climate challenges the nation is facing.
