Southern China: Heavy rains hit country as massive flooding threatens tens of millions

Hong Kong
CNN
—

Days of heavy rain has battered southern China, causing deadly flooding that threatens to upend tens of millions of lives as rescuers scramble to evacuate residents trapped by rising waters.

Widespread flooding has forced more than 110,000 people to relocate in Guangdong, an economic powerhouse with a population of 127 million people, state media reported, citing the local government.

Floods have killed at least four people in Guangdong province, including a rescue worker, state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday. At least 10 people remain missing.

Continuous torrential rains have hit the Pearl River Delta, China’s manufacturing hub and one of the country’s most populous regions, since April 16, with four weather stations in Guangdong province reporting recorded record rainfall.

The Pearl River Basin is flooded from April to September every year, but storms have become more intense in recent years as scientists warn the climate crisis will amplify extreme weather events, making them more deadly and more frequent. and facing severe flooding.

Yin Zhijie, head of hydrological forecasting at the Ministry of Water Resources, said, “Judging from the recent flood control situation, climate warming and temperature rise are intensifying, and abnormally heavy rains are occurring every year, leading to torrential rains and flooding.” said. – Run the outlet “The Paper”.

According to the China Meteorological Administration, China experienced “more intense and extreme” heavy rains than usual during the flood season last year, with 72 national weather stations setting daily rainfall records and 346 stations breaking monthly records. did.

Since last week, at least 44 rivers in the Pearl River basin have risen above the warning line, threatening to burst their banks, state broadcaster CCTV said.

In the Beijiang River, which flows into the Pearl River, authorities warned that “once-in-100-year” flooding is expected to exceed the warning limit by 5.8 meters (19 feet). Guangdong provincial authorities said the tributary had already breached its banks on April 8, marking the earliest flood season since records began in 1998.

Forecaster Yin said the Beijiang “major flood” was the earliest on record to hit China, in the highest category of the four-tier classification system. He said floods of this magnitude usually occur from late June onwards.

Aerial footage from surveillance cameras over the weekend showed villages submerged in murky floodwaters, with only roofs and tree tops visible in some places.

In Guangning county, Zhaoqing city, footage shared by residents on the short video app Douyin showed brown muddy water gushing down village streets, sweeping away cars. In Shaoguan, a man was seen pushing a scooter through shoulder-deep floodwaters. In the city of Qingyuan, footage on social media showed strong winds and rain cutting down trees and overturning motorbikes.

Heavy rain also triggered landslides near Shaoguan city in the mountainous north of the province, injuring six people, Xinhua News Agency said.

Authorities on Sunday raised the flood control emergency response level for the Pearl River Delta region to Level 2, the second highest in a four-tier system.

Schools were closed in many cities, and hundreds of flights were canceled in the major cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

More than 80 houses were destroyed or severely damaged, with direct economic losses reaching nearly 140 million yuan ($20 million), Xinhua News Agency said.

More heavy rain is expected to hit Guangdong this week, according to the province’s meteorological bureau.

This story has been updated with additional developments.