Floods and Deadly Landslides Reach Extreme Levels in China

Thousands of people have been evacuated in southeastern China after heavy rains over the weekend triggered floods and deadly landslides, authorities and state media reported on Monday.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, by Saturday, more than 35,000 people had been evacuated. On Monday morning, over 10,000 people were evacuated in Meizhou, the city hardest hit by flooding in Guangdong province.

A report released on Monday by the Ministry of Water Resources indicated that in the Han River basin, floods exceeding warning levels have been recorded in seventeen waterways, including two rivers that reached record flood levels.

Guangdong, an economic hub with a population of 127 million, is among the regions in southern China that are prone to flooding every year from April to September. However, in recent years, the area has faced more intense rainfall and severe floods, as scientists warn that the climate crisis will intensify extreme weather events, making them more deadly and frequent.

These warnings were raised in April when deadly floods occurred in some areas of Guangdong province following several days of rain. Heavy rains on Monday have caused further devastation, with videos surfacing on social media from Meizhou city in eastern Guangdong showing river waters nearly overflowing, flooding bridges and partially submerging vehicles.

This month, China has faced extreme weather conditions, with heavy rains flooding the south while severe drought and record temperatures scorch the north. Other parts of China also encounter extreme heat and drought earlier and for longer durations each year, leading to widespread power shortages and disruptions in food and industrial supply chains.