Floods caused by heavy rains have inundated towns and villages along the Liu River in southwest China, with the impending passage of a tropical cyclone exacerbating the risk of new disasters. The hardest hit region is Guangxi, where waters have exceeded safe levels by more than 4 meters, Chinese state media reported, BTA reports.
The natural disaster began on Tuesday, when the cities of Rongjiang and Zhongjiang in Guizhou province were hit by a flood described by meteorologists as a "once in 50 years" event. The flow of the Liu River reached 11,800 cubic meters per second - more than 80 times normal and the equivalent of five Olympic swimming pools filling every second.
The floods have claimed at least six lives, and many residents have lost their homes and livelihoods. "This flood is a big blow to us," said a pastry shop owner in Rongjiang, whose shop and delivery scooter were completely destroyed. "My family had just come out of poverty."
The hardest-hit village in Guangxi is Meilin, where the lack of adequate infrastructure and forecasting stations makes the situation even more critical. Prof. Chen Xiaoguang of the Southwest University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu emphasizes that limited resources in small municipalities make it difficult to respond to disasters.
Even larger cities such as Rongjiang are experiencing serious difficulties in dealing with the consequences. Local hotels have been converted into shelters for evacuees, rescue teams and volunteers.
However, the danger is not over. Another tropical cyclone is expected to pass over Guangxi tonight, after already hitting Hainan Island and Guangdong Province. This threatens reconstruction efforts and could trigger a new wave of flooding, given that the region has not yet recovered from Typhoon Utip, which hit southern China two weeks ago.
Experts link the increase in natural disasters to climate change. “Climate change is making extreme weather more frequent and unpredictable”, emphasizes Professor Chen. He called for urgent investment in early warning systems and building resilient infrastructure, especially in rural areas where vulnerability remains greatest.