Heavy rainfall has struck southern China, threatening the lives of tens of millions of people in the region.
Over the past weekend, continuous heavy rains have hit southern China, causing flooding of homes, streets, agricultural land, and endangering the lives of millions.
Xinhua News Agency reported that Guangdong Province, an economic hub with 127 million inhabitants, is one of the most severely affected areas, with extensive flooding forcing over 82,500 people to evacuate. Currently, at least 11 people are reported missing, including six from Jiangwan Town near Shaoguan City in Guangdong, where heavy rains triggered landslides.
Floodwaters rise after a devastating downpour in southern China.
Aerial footage broadcast by CCTV and shared on social media shows villages submerged under high floodwaters.
All are submerged, with only rooftops and tree tops visible above the water.
In Zhaoqing City, footage shared by residents shows brown muddy waters flowing through village roads, sweeping away vehicles.
Currently, local authorities have raised the emergency response level for flood control in the Pearl River Delta to Level 2, the second highest in China’s four-tier system. To ensure public safety, many cities have suspended schools, and hundreds of flights have been canceled in major cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
As of now, Xinhua News Agency reports that this catastrophic flooding has resulted in over 80 homes collapsing or being severely damaged, causing economic losses estimated at 140 million yuan (approximately 509 billion VND).
Flooding has caused severe economic damage and significantly affected the lives of residents.
Since April 16, relentless rainfall has been battering the Pearl River Delta, a production center in China and one of the most densely populated areas in the country.
Typically, the Pearl River basin experiences flooding from April to September, but in recent years the region has faced more intense storms and severe flooding as scientists warn that the climate crisis will exacerbate extreme weather, making it more dangerous and frequent.
