Tens of thousands displaced as heavy rain batters southern China

South China is being hit by a concentrated period of heavy rainfall as the summer monsoon sets in over the South China Sea, with authorities issuing multiple weather alerts and evacuating tens of thousands of people.

The National Meteorological Center on June 16 morning renewed an orange rainstorm warning, the second-highest level in its four-tier warning system, as well as a yellow alert for severe convective weather, warning of torrential downpours in parts of the south, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

In south China’s Guangdong Province, 46 towns and streets in Shanwei, Jieyang, Shantou and other cities have experienced extraordinary heavy rainfall since June 12 night, prompting the province to raise its flood control emergency response to Level III, the second-highest on a four-tier scale.

As of noon on June 15, more than 24,000 people had been relocated across the province, local authorities said.

In Lufeng, a county-level city under Shanwei, low-lying urban and rural areas were flooded, trapping some residents. Fire and rescue personnel used rubber boats to deliver drinking water, food, and medicine to stranded residents in Jiaxi Township on June 15 morning. Schools in Lufeng remain closed, though water, power, and road traffic have returned to normal as of June 16.

In the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, persistent rainfall caused flooding in Wuzhou, Guigang and other cities, prompting emergency response and drainage efforts.

By 15:00 June 15, water levels on five rivers in Guigang had risen above the alert mark by up to 1.22 metres.

The deepest flooding in Gangbei District reached about 30 centimeters. Water levels are receding and traffic has largely resumed in previously affected areas.

The regional meteorological bureau raised its emergency response for heavy rain from Level IV to Level III on June 15 due to persistent downpours.

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarter raised its emergency response for Guangdong and Guangxi from Level IV to Level III and deployed an additional working group to Guangxi to assist with flood control efforts.

Heavy rain also hit parts of Fujian and Taiwan, as well as the southern part of Heilongjiang, central and eastern Jilin, northern Liaoning, eastern Shanxi, the Sichuan Basin, and Yunnan, where moderate to heavy rain was reported.

By Vafa Guliyeva