Floodwaters Swamp Southern China, Stranding Thousands
Heavy rains have battered southern China’s Guangdong province, leading to severe flooding that has forced the evacuation of approximately 30,000 residents in Huaiji County. Rescue teams deployed rubber dinghies to ferry stranded individuals to safety and deliver essential supplies amid widespread power and internet blackouts.
Rivers Overflow, Urban Streets Transform Into Canals
The flooding resulted from days of continuous downpour, intensified by tropical storm Wutip followed by persistent monsoon rains. The Suijiang River breached its banks, inundating urban areas and submerging more than half of the county’s roads. Satellite and aerial images reveal streets turned into muddy waterways, with water levels reaching halfway up the ground floors of buildings. Vehicles have been almost entirely submerged, with only their roofs visible above the floodwater.
Emergency Evacuations and Rescue Efforts Underway
Emergency responders are racing against time to evacuate vulnerable populations. A rescue worker highlighted the urgent need to transfer critically ill patients from flood-affected hospitals. Aid workers have also been delivering necessities such as milk powder and drinking water to displaced families, including those caring for newborns, as well as children and elderly individuals sheltered in local schools.
Regional Impact and Aftermath
Huaiji County, bordering the Guangxi region and located around 140 kilometers northwest of Guangzhou, faces extensive damage. The neighboring Guangxi area recently reported fatalities linked to landslides triggered by the same tropical storm, underscoring the broader regional threat.
As cleanup and relief operations continue, authorities are closely monitoring weather updates and coordinating evacuation plans to mitigate further risks. The devastating floods serve as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of urban and rural communities to extreme weather events intensified by shifting climate patterns.
