Torrential storms that have caused widespread flooding in southeast China are moving inland, prompting the national weather service to issue its most severe rainstorm alert. Warnings of further flash floods and mudslides are in place for the coming days.
Over the last week, heavy rainfall has battered the region, causing deadly flooding and landslides that have claimed at least 71 lives, according to Chinese state media. The southern Guangdong province, an economic powerhouse with a population of 127 million, is accustomed to annual flooding from April to September. However, in recent years, the coastal region has experienced more intense rainstorms and severe flooding, which scientists attribute to the climate crisis. This crisis is expected to amplify extreme weather, making such events more frequent and deadly.
After displacing tens of thousands of people in Guangdong, the storms have shifted slightly northward into southern central China. Footage from Hunan province shows waterlogged highways and a swamped metro system, highlighting the extent of the flooding.
China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has escalated its flood response to level 3 (with level 1 being the most urgent) in the provinces of Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Hunan. In Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, cars were seen floating down city streets, and people waded through flooded subway tunnels. Local rivers rose to a record 4.59 meters (15 feet), according to Chinese state broadcaster CGTN.
The state-run weather service recorded 65.1 millimeters (2.5 inches) of rainfall in Changsha within a single hour, setting a new record for June. The heavy rain led to the closure of tourist attractions and two local subway lines. Emergency crews used rubber boats to transport residents to and from their homes, Reuters reported. Although no deaths were immediately reported in Changsha, fatalities have been confirmed across multiple provinces and cities.
Mountain torrents, which occur when heavy rainfall in mountainous areas causes sudden and extreme rushes of water, killed five people on June 21 in Yuanlin county, Hunan, bringing the death toll in that province to at least 13. In Taoyuan county, Hunan, more than 300 villagers were unreachable as of Tuesday.
In Anhui province, northeast of Hunan, at least 511,000 people in 29 cities and counties have been affected by relentless rainfall and flooding, with 64,000 forced to relocate as of Monday morning.
Last week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts to safeguard lives and property as China contends with heavy rains in the south and severe drought and record temperatures in the north. Other parts of China are also facing earlier and longer periods of extreme heat and drought each year, leading to widespread power shortages and disruptions to food and industrial supply chains.
As the nation grapples with these concurrent climate challenges, the government’s response and the resilience of its infrastructure and communities will be crucial in mitigating the impacts of such extreme weather events.