Major rivers in China’s Guangdong province are threatening to cause dangerous flooding, forcing the government to enact emergency response plans to protect more than 127 million residents.
Local meteorological officials said water levels in parts of rivers and tributaries in the Xijiang and Beijiang river basins were rising sharply in an unusual storm, state television CCTV reported.
China’s Ministry of Water Resources has issued an emergency warning.
Guangdong officials called on departments in all localities and municipalities to start planning emergency measures to prevent natural disasters and quickly send financial aid to ensure that the vulnerable population gets food, clothing, drinking water and a place to stay.
The rain that has been falling non-stop since Saturday night has affected the central and northern parts of the province in the cities of Zhaoqing, Shaoguan, Qingyuan and Jiangmen.
Nearly 20,000 people were evacuated in Qingyuan, state media reported. Some power facilities in Zhaoqing were also damaged, causing power outages in some places.
In Qingyuan, school classes were suspended, local media reported.
Authorities in Qingyuan and Shaoguan in Guangdong also suspended shipping on several rivers, and marine departments sent forces to be on duty to coordinate emergency tugs and emergency rescue vessels.
In the city of Hezhou, located in Guangxi, 65 landslides were recorded, according to state media, Reuters reports.
Photo: illustration
