South China's Huaiji experiences 'once-in-a-century' flooding, rescue operations in full swing

A hydrometric station in South China's Guangdong Province in the flood Photo: WeChat account of Zhaoqing Fabu

A hydrometric station in South China's Guangdong Province in the flood Photo: WeChat account of Zhaoqing Fabu

The Huaiji hydrometric station in Zhaoqing, South China's Guangdong Province, recorded a peak water level of 55.22 meters at 7:05 am on Wednesday, 5.22 meters above the warning water level of 50 meters, marking the highest flood level since the station's establishment, according to the Huaiji county government. 

Huaiji county issued a notice on Wednesday regarding flood relief to the residents. The county has experienced a "once-in-a-century" flood, with water levels surpassing historical extremes, resulting in varying degrees of damage across the county, according to the notice. In response to the severe disaster, the county has attached great importance to the situation, urgently mobilizing all available resources to carry out rescue operations and the relocation and resettlement of affected residents, safeguarding the lives and property of the people, according to the notice.

The county government has announced 24-hour emergency contact numbers for residents in need and pledged prompt response and assistance, vowing to restore normal life as soon as possible.

The national commission for disaster prevention, reduction and relief launched a Level IV emergency response to the severe flood disaster in Guangdong Province. A working group has been dispatched to the disaster area to guide and assist local authorities in ensuring basic living guarantees for the affected residents and in coordinating other disaster relief efforts, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) on Wednesday. 

According to the needs of disaster relief work, the relevant authorities have urgently allocated central disaster relief materials such as family emergency kits to support local efforts in assisting and resettling affected residents, according to the MEM.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has urgently allocated 60 million yuan ($8.35 million) from the central budget to support the post-disaster emergency recovery efforts in areas affected by flooding, including Zhaoqing in Guangdong, according to the NDRC on Wednesday.

From June 14 to 15, due to Typhoon Wutip and other factors, Zhaoqing experienced widespread heavy to torrential rainfall, with some areas facing extreme downpours. The northern part of Huaiji in Zhaoqing was hit by strong rainfall again on Tuesday, causing the water levels of the Suijiang River and its tributaries to rise rapidly. Many areas experienced flood conditions and urban waterlogging, leading to a particularly severe flood prevention situation, the Global Times learned from the Zhaoqing local authorities on Wednesday.

Huaiji county elevated its flood emergency response from Level II to Level I at 7 pm on Tuesday, according to the local authorities.

Huaiji county implemented emergency measures including the suspension of classes, work, production, transportation (including ferry services), and suspending businesses, according to the local authorities.

"My area is experiencing power and water outages. Last night, due to the impact of the flood, I was unable to return home," a Huaiji local resident surnamed Huang told the Global Times on Wednesday. She said the rescue personnel were urgently assisting residents in need.

Local authorities are working to assist affected residents and ensure all reported emergency cases have been addressed. The authorities are also strengthening road clearance efforts, coordinating with enterprises, social emergency response teams, and surrounding counties to deploy more than 500 units of equipment, including loaders, excavators, inflatable boats, and rubber boats.

As of 7 am on Wednesday, the round of typhoon and heavy rainfall disaster has affected 19 towns in Huaiji county, with a total of 183,000 people impacted. Emergency evacuations have been carried out for 68,000 individuals. Around 7.84 kilometers of levees have been damaged, and 8.98 kilometers of roads have been affected. Direct economic losses are estimated at 41.26 million yuan ($5.74 million), according to the Huaiji county government.

From Thursday to Saturday, Southwest China's Yunnan Province and parts of Guizhou Province are forecast to experience heavy rainfall. In response to the recent heavy rainfall and to ensure the safety of railway transportation, certain train services was suspended based on weather forecasts in Yunnan, according to the Yunnan local authorities.

From Wednesday to June 21, some regions along the Yangtze River and Huaihe River and Yellow River are expected to experience a heavy rainfall event. 

In contrast, parts of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and other regions will face high temperatures over the next 10 days, with daily maximum temperatures generally ranging from 35 to 37 C, and some local areas reaching around 40 C, according to the NMC.