Torrential rains have wreaked havoc across southern China, leading to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people and leaving many more at risk. Since June 9, at least 13 individuals have lost their lives due to the severe weather conditions, with dramatic footage capturing the devastation caused by flash flooding and mudslides.
The city of Meizhou in Guangdong province has been particularly hard hit, with nine reported deaths and record flooding along the Songyuan and Shiku rivers. Meizhou saw over 10,000 evacuations earlier in the week, with a significant portion of the population left without power.
Guangdong province, home to 127 million people, experiences annual flooding from April to September. However, recent years have seen more intense rainstorms and severe flooding, attributed to the impact of the climate crisis. Scientists warn that extreme weather events will become more frequent and deadly.
In Fujian province, at least four fatalities have been reported, affecting over half a million individuals across 40 counties. Meanwhile, in Guangxi, 48 rivers are running above flood alert levels, prompting a Level-II emergency response.
The Lijiang River in Guilin experienced its worst flooding since 1998, leading to the evacuation of over 6,000 people. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has called for comprehensive efforts to protect lives and property as the country grapples with extreme weather conditions, including heavy rains in the south and severe drought and record temperatures in the north.
China is also facing challenges of earlier and prolonged extreme heat periods and droughts in various regions, resulting in power shortages and disruptions to food and industrial supply chains.
