Floods and Storms in China Claim 15 Lives and Displace Thousands

SadaNews - The fierce storms and heavy rains in China have resulted in the deaths of at least 15 people and injured hundreds, in addition to the evacuation of around 50,000 due to flooding, according to a tally published on Tuesday, prompting President Xi Jinping to call for a "comprehensive" mobilization of rescue efforts.

Footage broadcast by state television (CCTV) showed a massive flow of muddy water rushing through collapsed sections of a dam in the Guangxi region of southern China.

Images released by state media showed rescue teams wearing helmets and life jackets searching for missing persons using inflatable boats amidst homes and cars partially submerged in water.

In Hubei province in central China, the official Xinhua News Agency reported that "severe storms and strong winds" caused by "intense thermal air currents" (which involve sharp temperature variations) swept through several cities, while tornadoes hit other areas, resulting in a total of 11 deaths and 331 injuries.

The agency added that one person is still missing, noting that nearly 5,000 homes were damaged, including 22 that collapsed entirely.

In Guangxi, the heavy rainfall and torrential flooding caused by Typhoon Bavi have resulted in the deaths of at least 4 people and forced authorities to evacuate more than 50,000, according to updated figures released on Tuesday, with 8 people still unaccounted for.

Water Resources Minister Li Guoying stated on Tuesday that parts of the coastal and eastern regions in Guangxi, as well as in Guangdong province in the southwest, will continue to experience heavy rainfall on Wednesday.

Snakes in the Waters

In related news, videos circulated online showing villagers trying to catch snakes swimming in the floodwaters that inundated a town in Guangxi, with a hashtag related to the event garnering around 180 million views.

Official media (Red Star News) reported that a local committee head named Wu Qi stated that between 800 and 900 snakes escaped on Monday morning after floodwaters swept away a snake-farming facility.

Photos showed villagers wading through knee-deep waters, catching the reptiles using nets or their bare hands.

Authorities in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi, raised the flood emergency response level to the highest tier after heavy rains caused damage to dams.

In light of these events, Xi Jinping emphasized the "need to make every effort possible to organize emergency rescue operations," according to the official broadcast agency (CCTV).

He also called for "treatment for the injured and provision of shelter for affected residents, as well as effective implementation of prevention and relief work."

Such natural disasters are common in various parts of China, especially in summer, where some regions experience heavy rainfall while others suffer from oppressive heat.

Landslide

In another part of China, a landslide that occurred on Tuesday in a village in Gansu province in the northwest resulted in the deaths of at least 5 people, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

The agency reported that rescue teams were still attempting late on Tuesday to locate 12 other individuals still missing. Initially, 33 people were reported missing following the landslide that took place in a village under the Longnan municipality.

Authorities allocated 30 million yuan ($4.4 million) for reconstruction funds following the landslide.

In this context, scientists warn that the intensity and frequency of extreme weather phenomena worldwide will increase as global temperatures continue to rise due to fossil fuel emissions.

China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, but it is also a global giant in renewable energy and aims to make its massive economy carbon neutral by 2060.

At least 22 people died in China during May due to heavy rainfall that swept through central and southern regions, where some areas experienced "record" levels of rainfall, according to official media.