Eight killed by floods and mudslides in Guangxi, China
Severe floods and mudslides struck northern Guangxi, China, on May 23, 2025, killing eight people in Longsheng county and destroying ten homes.
Landslide in Guangdong’s Pingtougang kills three, leaves one missing
Heavy rain triggered a landslide in the Gaozhou region of Guangdong on May 18. Three people died and one remains missing. Rescue teams continue searching as the region remains under a yellow alert.
Massive hailstorm in Beijing shatters windshields, causes traffic and flight chaos
A severe hailstorm struck Beijing on May 13, 2025, producing hailstones up to 4 cm (1.6 inches) in diameter that caused widespread vehicle damage, disrupted traffic, and led to flight cancellations. The storm triggered multiple alerts from the Beijing Meteorological Observatory and impacted 13 districts.
Flash floods sweep through Shuilong as heavy rains hit Guangdong, China
Heavy rainfall from May 8 to 11, 2025, triggered flash floods in Shuilong Village, China’s Guangdong Province, damaging homes and crops and forcing evacuations. No casualties were reported, but over 3 221 people were preemptively evacuated across the province.
Shallow M5.6 earthquake hits southwest China’s Xizang region
A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.6 hit southwest China’s Xizang autonomous region at 21:11 UTC on May 11, 2025 (05:11 local time on May 12). The agency is reporting a depth of 9 km (6 miles). EMSC is reporting the same magnitude and depth.
Severe hailstorm causes widespread damage in Baoding, China
A severe hailstorm struck Baoding, Hebei Province, on May 5, 2025, covering streets with hailstones up to 2 cm (0.8 inches) in diameter. The storm caused significant agricultural losses.
China tests drone-based weather modification in Xinjiang
In an effort to tackle water shortages in Xinjiang, China has undertaken a successful drone-based cloud-seeding experiment to enhance rainfall. The trial, conducted over a vast area of the Bayanbulak Grasslands, demonstrated moisture-laden positive results, with drones dispersing silver iodide to trigger precipitation. This approach aims to combat the region’s ongoing challenges with desertification and glacial retreat.
9 dead and 70 hospitalized after 4 boats capsize in Qianxi, China
Strong winds and heavy rainfall struck Qianxi, Guizhou Province, China, on Sunday, May 4, 2025, causing four tourist boats to capsize on the Liuchong River. The incident left nine people dead and 70 hospitalized.
Severe sandstorms move across northern China, breaking wind records at 499 stations and prompting rare public advisories
Chinese authorities warned citizens weighing less than 50 kg (110 lb) to stay indoors as a large-scale low-pressure system moving in from Mongolia brought record-breaking winds exceeding 150 km/h (93 mph) to parts of northern China. Over 499 weather stations broke April wind records as the system moved southeast through the weekend, causing widespread damage and placing millions under severe weather alerts.
Shandong experiences strongest March snowstorm since 1971, China
East China’s Shandong province experienced its heaviest March snowstorm since 1971 from March 1 to 3, 2025, with snow accumulation reaching up to 20 cm (7.9 inches), causing widespread disruptions to daily life and transportation. Events like this are rare for early March in Shandong’s temperate monsoon climate, where cold, dry winters usually limit snowfall to lighter amounts between December and February, especially in milder coastal areas influenced by the Yellow Sea.
