More than 100,000 people have been affected by severe flooding in southern China’s Guizhou Province after record-breaking rainfall.
Since the night of June 17, heavy rainfall has swept across parts of southwest, central, and eastern China. Areas affected include the provinces of Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Henan, and Anhui.
China’s National Meteorological Center reported on June 20 that the storm system is both widespread and intense. Eight national weather stations recorded the highest daily rainfall for the month of June. Two stations broke records.
The rain triggered floods in several provinces. Rivers in parts of Guangxi, Hunan, and Hubei rose above warning levels. Some regions reported flash floods and waterlogging.
Heavy rains hit Guizhou’s Rongjiang County especially hard. Local authorities activated the highest level of flood emergency response. By the night of June 24, the floods had affected around 103,000 people and forced over 51,000 to evacuate.
On June 23, China’s Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Emergency Management urgently allocated 300 million yuan (about USD 41 million) in central disaster relief funds to support rescue and recovery work.
Local authorities responded quickly. As of now, floodwaters in Rongjiang’s county seat have started to recede. Crews are clearing debris, and workers are repairing power, water, and communication systems.
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