Extreme rainfall, deadly floods and landslides hit China’s Fujian, forcing 36 000 to evacuate

Extremely heavy rains in southeast China’s Fujian province over the past 7 days caused severe flooding and landslides, in which at least 4 people lost their lives and 2 remain missing. Hundreds of homes have been damaged and at least 36 000 people were forced to evacuate.

From June 9 to 15, northern Fujian was hit by continuous heavy rains, with cumulative rainfall reaching 500 mm (19.6 inches) – 810 mm (31.88 inches). By June 16, the cumulative rainfall reached 940 mm (37.01 inches). Longyan was worst affected over the past 24 hours, with a record-breaking 411 mm (16.18 inches) in just 12 hours.

On Friday, June 14, China’s Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) issued a level-IV emergency response due to severe flooding in southern provinces, raising water levels in major rivers, including the Xijiang and Minjiang.

This is the 7^th instance of heavy flood in the Pearl River basin since the beginning of the year.

The latest downpour pushed rivers past official warning levels, with smaller regional rivers also at risk, especially in hilly areas. The MWR has sent teams to Fujian and Guangxi to provide flood control instructions.

On Saturday, June 15, the MWR announced the Xijiang River’s 2024 “No. 1 Flood,” the first severe flood of the year in a single river. By 15:20 LT on Saturday, water at the Wuzhou hydrological station in Guangxi hit the warning line of 18.5 meters (61 feet). This is the seventh heavy flood in the Pearl River basin this year.

According to state-run CCTV, four people died and two are still missing.

378 houses collapsed since Sunday afternoon (LT), June 16. According to Xinhua reports, 36 000 people have been forced to evacuate.

As of 20:00 LT on Saturday, June 15, the latest round of rains had affected 179 800 people and damaged 12 350 ha (30 500 acres) of crops, causing a direct economic loss of 1.61 billion yuan (approximately 225 million USD), according to the local office.

From 06:00 LT on Saturday to 07:00 on Sunday, some hydrological stations in 11 rivers in Fujian reported water levels between 0.07 m (0.23 feet) and 3.65 m (12 feet) above the warning level, the office revealed.

As of 07:00 LT on Sunday, water levels at seven hydrological stations remained above the warning level.

Heavy rains continued over the weekend, with southwestern Fujian and northeastern Guangdong experiencing extreme rainstorms. Up to 429 mm (16.89 inches) of rainfall was registered in the region in just 10 hours. The Hanjiang River Basin has experienced the largest flood since 1964, with a peak flow rate of 13 000 cubic meters per second (459 000 cubic feet per second).

China has a four-tier flood control system, with level I as the most severe. The current level-IV response indicates a serious but manageable threat. Local departments are closely monitoring the situation, using water projects, and strengthening embankment patrols to control flood risks.

China’s National Meteorological Centre also issued alerts for high temperatures. While heat will lessen in northern China and areas between the Yellow River and the Huaihe River, parts of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Henan were expected to reach 37 – 39 °C (99 – 102 °F) on Sunday.

Beijing issued its second-highest heat warning, expecting temperatures above 37 °C (99 °F) on Monday and Tuesday, June 17 and 18. Liaoning in northeast China could see 40 – 42 °C (104 – 108 °F) in the next two days.

In southeastern Fujian, seven days of heavy rain have caused some rivers to exceed warning levels, prompting reservoir water releases to manage flood risks. In Guangxi, local rivers have surpassed warning levels, and a student in Guilin died due to the floods.

References:

¹ China activates emergency response to flooding in southern regions – PD – June 14, 2024

² South China river sees its 2024 “No.1 Flood” – news.cn – June 15, 2024

³ Torrential rains prompt evacuations in east China’s Fujian – Xinhua – June 16, 2024

Featured image credit: Xinhua