Title: Devastating Heavy Rains Cause Massive Flooding and Casualties in Central and Southwestern China
By Li Hui, Our Reporter
[Voice of Hope, July 5, 2023]
Large areas of central and southwestern China have experienced a series of heavy rains, resulting in severe flooding, casualties, and property damage. The disaster has so far claimed the lives of at least 15 people in Wanzhou, Chongqing, with four individuals reported missing. Thousands of people have been evacuated from the affected regions. In response, President Xi Jinping has called for extensive rescue efforts and disaster relief measures. However, the related information on social media platform Weibo requires user identity verification.
Wanzhou, Chongqing Hit Hard with 15 Fatalities
From July 3rd to 4th, heavy rains struck 24 districts and counties in Chongqing City, with 16 of them experiencing intense rainstorms. Among the affected areas, Wanzhou district faced extreme rainfall, reaching a record-breaking 261.2 mm in Baiyan Village, Changtan Town. Ten rivers in Chongqing surpassed the warning water level, with three rivers exceeding the guaranteed water level set for embankment projects.
As a result of the heavy rainfall, floods damaged several bridge piers in Wanzhou District, leading to the partial collapse of a railway bridge. Streets and residential areas were flooded due to intense torrents and flash floods, resulting in the destruction of many houses.
As of 10:00 on July 5th, 36 towns, villages, and streets in Wanzhou District, including Wuqiao, Changling, and Baiyang, were inundated. A total of 37,226 individuals were affected, with 11,578 people urgently transferred and 779 individuals urgently resettled. The disaster resulted in at least 15 deaths, four people missing, damages to 1,949.96 hectares of crops, the collapse of 138 houses belonging to 50 households, and damage to 112 houses out of 221. The district’s direct economic loss has been estimated at 227,844,740 yuan.
Disaster Spreads to Other Provinces and Cities
Multiple regions have been affected by the heavy rainfall. In Sichuan Province, 461,000 people across 69 counties in 16 cities, including Chengdu, Deyang, Mianyang, and Guangyuan, have been impacted since July 1st. Hubei Province has also experienced frequent flash floods this flood season, witnessing a landslide in Luojiazui Village, Enshi, which destroyed three houses.
Heavy rain from July 1st to 2nd in Baxian County, Shaanxi Province, caused flash floods and mudslides, damaging 80 roads. Zhumadian, Henan, saw an accident on the Jishan Bridge on July 3rd, where a car was swept away by floods with five occupants, one of whom has been rescued so far.
The Ministry of Water Resources has issued a four-level emergency response to flood defense for Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang. Heavy rainfall is expected in these provinces from July 4th to 5th. Five provinces, including Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, and Yunnan, have issued a blue rainstorm warning with heavy rains predicted for the next 24 hours.
Extreme Weather Continues to Pose a Threat
More extreme weather events are predicted in the coming months, including heavy rain, floods, high temperatures, and heatwaves, according to the China Meteorological Department.
Regarding flood discharge, Dahekou Hydropower Station in Youyang County, Chongqing, has been continuously releasing floodwaters and has discharged a total of 106 million cubic meters as of July 4th. Additionally, Chongqing Zhoubai Hydropower Station also conducted flood discharge operations with a peak outflow of over 360 cubic meters per second on June 19th. Multiple small and medium-sized rivers in Chongqing were flooding during this period, leading to reservoirs opening their gates to release excess water.
In response to the disaster, President Xi Jinping has instructed authorities to make accurate predictions and provide substantial support for disaster relief efforts. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management of the Communist Party of China have allocated 320 million yuan to aid in disaster relief operations. The funds will be divided into flood prevention and relief funds (250 million yuan) and geological disaster relief funds (70 million yuan), supporting 16 provinces and regions, including Sichuan and Chongqing, in their relief work.
As the scale of the disaster unfolds, the Chinese public seeks real-time updates on social media platforms. However, the Weibo post related to the disaster requires user login for viewing.
[Editor in Charge: Lin Li]
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