Floods in China Leave 21 Dead Amid Heavy Rainfall and Disruptions
Severe rains and sudden flash floods in southern and central China have claimed at least 21 lives, with several others reported missing. International media have reported that these events began on Tuesday and have caused extensive damage. According to reports, the floods have blocked schools and commercial centers, disrupted transportation services and electricity supply in several areas. The China Meteorological Administration has warned that Jiangxi, Anhui, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, and Hainan provinces face a high risk of rain-related incidents, including landslides, flash floods, and severe urban flooding.
Chinese officials have allocated 150 million yuan (over 22 million dollars) for emergency aid and have declared a state of readiness in several affected regions.
In one of the deadliest incidents, the fall of a truck carrying 15 agricultural workers into a swollen river in Guangxi resulted in 10 deaths. Additionally, four people died in Guizhou, four others in Hunan, and three in a low-lying village in Hubei due to the rains and floods.
Images shared on the social media platform Douyin show residents of Jingzhou city in Hubei wading through knee-deep water on the streets, with some vehicles nearly submerged.
Chinese state media have reported that evacuations to safer areas have begun in parts of Hubei and Hunan. Meteorologists have warned that heavy rains are expected to spread to eastern and southern parts of the country over the next two days, with the areas around the Yangtze River anticipated to receive the highest rainfall.
