Central and southern China are bracing for more flash floods as the East Asia monsoon season intensifies. Heavy rains are expected to disrupt daily life in the country, which is the second-largest economy in the world.
On Thursday, authorities issued red alerts for the first time this year. These alerts cover several provinces, including Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, and the Guangxi region. The warnings come from the water resources ministry and the national weather forecaster, as reported by state news agency Xinhua.
Meteorologists link this extreme weather to climate change, which poses serious challenges for the country. The risk of severe flooding is increasing, threatening to overwhelm outdated flood defenses, displace millions of people, and damage China’s agricultural sector, which is valued at $2.8 trillion.
This year, the rainy season started earlier than usual, arriving in early June. Typically, this season is followed by intense heat that can harm crops, dry up reservoirs, and damage infrastructure. Last July, economic losses from natural disasters topped $10 billion, a figure that could rise this year.
Recent heavy rainfall in southern Hunan has led to significant flooding, the worst the area has seen since 1998. The Lishui River’s water levels have surpassed safety limits by more than two meters, causing it to overflow onto roads and carry debris downstream.
In the southwestern city of Chongqing, floodwaters have submerged apartment buildings and swept away vehicles. Reports indicate that nearly 300 residents have been evacuated from mountainous areas where rainfall reached 304 mm (about 12 inches) in a single day. One local river swelled by an astonishing 19 meters due to heavy precipitation.
In Zhaoqing, a city in Guangdong province, floodwaters rose over five meters above warning levels, breaking historical records and causing power supply disruptions.
As the situation develops, the impact of these floods on communities and the economy will be closely monitored. The need for effective disaster management and improved infrastructure is more pressing than ever.