Tens of thousands evacuated as torrential rains hit south China
BEIJING: Torrential rains triggered widespread flooding and landslides across southern China on Wednesday (Aug 6), forcing tens of thousands to evacuate as emergency services rushed to rescue those trapped in collapsed buildings and submerged streets.
More than 75,000 people in Guangdong province had been relocated by noon, state broadcaster CCTV reported, after relentless downpours drenched urban and rural areas alike.
LANDSLIDE IN GUANGZHOU
A major landslide struck Dayuan village in Guangzhou around 8.30am, trapping 14 people beneath rubble and debris. Rescuers had freed seven survivors by evening, none of whom were in immediate danger. The body of an eighth person was later recovered, according to CCTV, as operations continued into the night.
Footage from the scene showed emergency personnel in orange suits climbing over a collapsed structure, surrounded by mud and broken concrete.
FLOODS ACROSS GUANGDONG AND GUANGXI
CCTV also showed waist-deep floodwaters sweeping through streets in Guangdong and neighbouring Guangxi province, with stranded residents clinging to partially submerged vehicles and makeshift rafts.
Homes and storefronts were inundated, prompting officials to launch an emergency response in Guangdong. Authorities have allocated 100 million yuan (US$14 million) in recovery funds, China’s top economic planner announced.
The National Reform and Development Commission warned that continued rainfall had already caused “heavy casualties and property losses” across the region.
EXTREME WEATHER ACROSS CHINA
Deadly floods and landslides are becoming more common during China’s summer months. Last month, 44 people died after rains battered Beijing’s outskirts, while a separate landslide in Hebei province killed another eight.
China remains vulnerable to natural disasters exacerbated by climate change, even as it leads the world in renewable energy production. The country is the planet’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases but has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2060.
