2 weeks ago
At least four people have died and more than 110,000 others were forced to relocate from their homes in southern China as a result of deadly floods triggered by heavy rain.
A flooded riverside park along the Beijiang River in Qingyuan city in southern China's Guangdong province. (AP Photo)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Apr 23, 2024 10:12 IST
At least four people were killed, while hundreds and thousands of others have been forced to relocate from their homes as heavy rain that lashed southern China over the weekend unleashed deadly floods in the region.
The fatalities were reported in Guangdong province, home to 127 million people, as widespread flooding led to the evacuation of more than 110,000 people as of Monday, with some 25,800 in shelters, CNN reported.
Of the four victims, one was a rescue worker, state news agency Xinhua said in a report, adding that 10 people remained unaccounted for.
Across Guangdong province, about 1.16 million households were without electricity over the weekend, but power was restored at about 80 per cent of the houses by Sunday night, the BBC said.
The CNN report said that the Pearl River Delta, one of China's most populated regions, has witnessed torrential rain since April 16.
Four weather stations in Guangdong have already registered record rain for the month of April.
Annual flooding takes place at Pearl River Delta from April to September. But it has faced intense rainstorms and severe floods in recent years.
State broadcaster CCTV said 44 rivers in the Pearl River basin were flowing above the warning line since the past week.
Authorities have warned of a "once a century flood" as the Bei river, which flows into the Pearl River Delta, was expected to reach 19 feet above the warning limit.
A local meteorologist said the “massive flood at the Bei river is the earliest on record to hit China in the highest category of a four-tier classification system", CNN reported.
He added that floods of this magnitude usually occur after late June.
Meanwhile, photos and aerial footage showed floodwaters almost completely submerging villages, with only the roofs of houses and treetops visible in some places.
Xinhua news agency said more than 80 houses have either collapsed or damaged, while schools have been suspended and flights cancelled in Guangzhou and Shenzhen cities.
As of Monday, the deadly floods have resulted in a direct economic loss of nearly 140 million yuan (USD 20 million), the news agency added.
Guangdong is expected to witness additional heavy rain this week, according to the provincial Meteorological Bureau.
China's meteorological authorities have also warned of torrential rain in the coastal areas of neighbouring Fujian until at least Tuesday.
"Moderate to heavy" rain is expected in other parts of the country, including Beijing, Tianjin and Heibei.
In July 2023, heavy rain and floods lashed the country's capital, Beijing and surrounding provinces following a series of typhoons.
That month, Beijing experienced its heaviest rainfall in 140 years.
Published By:
Karishma Saurabh Kalita
Published On:
Apr 23, 2024
