Rescuers scoured flooded parts of China for survivors on Wednesday as residents began cleaning up their devastated homes, after storms killed 17 people and caused dozens of rivers to overflow and a reservoir dam to burst. Extreme weather has wreaked havoc on southern and central China this week, with a super typhoon heading towards eastern provinces this weekend.
Flooding and Casualties
In the southern region of Guangxi, six people died and at least 130,000 people were evacuated to safety after torrential rain and severe flooding from Typhoon Maysak, officials said. Fast-flowing muddy water burst the banks of 40 rivers and waterways in the region, damaging nearly 13,000 acres of agricultural land, state media reported. Around 375,000 people in Guangxi have been affected by the disaster.
Reservoir Dam Collapse
In the village of Liulan, where a reservoir dam collapsed, floodwaters had receded when reporters arrived on Wednesday but the streets and houses were swamped with thick mud. Multiple vehicles that had been washed into fields nearby were buried in silt. A rescue team sent large drones carrying food and supplies to people trapped on the other side.
Rescue Efforts and Relief
Chinese authorities were sending additional disaster relief like food, raincoats and rubber boats to the region, state news agency Xinhua reported. Volunteers from nearby towns and villages had joined official rescue forces to help with relief efforts. A restaurant worker named Huang in nearby Hengzhou told AFP that 'some houses collapsed... and were washed away' by the floods.
Super Typhoon Bavi Approaches
Eastern provinces are meanwhile preparing for the impact of Super Typhoon Bavi, which could make landfall 'near the Zhejiang-Fujian border area' between Saturday and Sunday, CCTV said, citing the National Meteorological Center. The typhoon could also move northwards over waters east of Taiwan and make landfall directly on the coast of Zhejiang. Bavi tore through US Pacific territories earlier this week, leaving tens of thousands of people without power on Guam and the Northern Marianas.
Ongoing Disasters and Climate Concerns
Natural disasters are common across China, particularly in the summer when some regions experience intense rainfall while others bake in scorching heat. But scientists warn the intensity and frequency of global extreme weather events will increase as the planet continues to heat up because of fossil fuel emissions. Separately in northwestern China's Gansu province, the death toll from a Tuesday landslide rose to 21, state media reported, as search and rescue operations had concluded. The cause of the landslide was still under investigation, according to local media.
