China: Over 60,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in Guangdong due to heavy rains that led to flooding in China’s most populous province. According to reports, three people died and 11 are missing.
The flood submerged a large area of land and rescue workers are using lifeboats to haul people into waist-deep water. Many significant rivers drowned, and authorities are exhaustively observing water levels considered dangerously increased.
Officials cautioned that the level of the northern Guangdong River could achieve a ‘once in 100 years’ elevation soon, but it is yet to occur. A substantial portion of Guangdong province is located in the low-lying Pearl River delta, which is highly susceptible to floods caused by the progress in sea levels and storm swells.
The delta is one of China’s most densely occupied areas and a primary hub for manufacturing, with Guangdong alone being home to approximately 127 million people. The regional capital of Guangzhou, along with mini cities such as Shaoguan and Heyuan, were among the most heavily impacted zones.
Over the weekend, approximately 1.16 million families across the region underwent power outages. However, power was restored to 80 percent of them. Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou was forced to cancel and postpone flights due to constant rain, while at least three cities were ordered to close their schools.
Dozens of homes across the area were either crumpled or mourned extreme impairment. Authorities counted the direct economic loss to be nearly 140.6 million yuan ($19.8 million). Weibo users shared their experiences of torrential rain, with some reporting flooded homes and dangerous driving conditions.
China’s meteorological administration cautioned about continuous heavy rain in Guangdong and the coastal territories of Fujian. Additionally, moderate to heavy rains are predicted in other parts of the countryside, including Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.
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