By D.W.G. Kalani Tharanga, JadeTimes News
In a devastating bout of extreme weather, tens of thousands of people in southern China have been evacuated as relentless torrential rains continue to wreak havoc across the region. Flash floods and mudslides have claimed at least 55 lives since June 9, according to Chinese state media reports. Dramatic footage has captured scenes of urban areas submerged in water and buildings collapsing, as emergency responders in speedboats navigate the flooded streets to rescue stranded residents.
One of the most severely impacted areas is the city of Meizhou in Guangdong province. Here, at least 47 people have perished amid record flooding along the Songyuan and Shiku rivers. Guangdong, an economic powerhouse with a population of 127 million, faces annual flooding from April to September. However, the intensity of rainstorms and severity of flooding have escalated in recent years, with scientists warning that the climate crisis will exacerbate extreme weather, making such events more frequent and deadly.
Earlier this week, more than 10,000 residents were evacuated from Meizhou, and as many as 130,000 were left without power. Authorities in the city raised the flood control emergency response to Level I, the highest in China’s four tier system. In Pingyuan county alone, 38 people were reported dead, and two more were missing. The heavy rainfall has affected over 55,000 people, with direct economic losses estimated at 5.8 billion yuan ($799 million).
Widespread Impact Across Regions
The devastation extends beyond Guangdong. In the nearby province of Fujian, state media reported at least eight fatalities, including four in Wuping county and the rest in Shanghang county. Heavy rainfall has impacted an estimated 586,500 people across 40 counties. In Guangxi, a neighboring southern region to the west, 48 rivers are running above flood alert levels, prompting authorities to initiate a Level II emergency response. The Lijiang River, a famed tourist attraction running through Guilin, has experienced its worst flooding since 1998, necessitating the evacuation of over 6,000 people.
In response to the widespread destruction, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has called for all out efforts to protect lives and property. While southern China contends with severe flooding, other parts of the country are facing extreme heat and drought. These conditions are becoming more common, with earlier and longer periods of extreme weather each year, leading to widespread power shortages and disruptions to food and industrial supply chains. The north, in particular, is grappling with record temperatures and severe drought, further highlighting the growing impact of climate change on China’s weather patterns.