More than 80,000 people evacuated as severe floods hit southwest China

Severe flooding in China’s southwestern province of Guizhou has forced over 80,000 people to evacuate their homes, according to Beijing’s state media on Wednesday. This summer, China has been hit by extreme weather — with scorching heatwaves baking large parts of the country, while heavy rainstorms flood others.

Rescue teams have been deployed to two counties in Guizhou, where flood control efforts have been raised to the highest emergency level, the state news agency Xinhua reported. In Rongjiang county, a football field was submerged under three meters of water. Local resident Long Tian told Xinhua that the water rose rapidly, forcing him to wait for rescue on the third floor of his home before being safely evacuated.

By Tuesday afternoon, around 80,900 people had been evacuated. Footage aired by state broadcaster CCTV showed a collapsed bridge near Kaili city in Guizhou. Rescuers were seen navigating boats through knee-deep, murky water to carry residents to safety, while children waited in a flooded kindergarten as emergency personnel arrived. The CCTV video also showed a rescue team preparing to deliver supplies like rice via drone to those affected by the floods.

Flooding has also impacted the neighboring Guangxi province, where rescuers have been helping evacuate residents. Just last week, tens of thousands were relocated in Hunan province due to heavy rain. In southern China, nearly 70,000 people were moved earlier following floods caused by Typhoon Wutip.

Authorities issued China’s first red alerts of the year last week for mountain torrents in six regions — the highest level on the country’s four-tier warning system. Xinhua noted that some areas are “extremely likely” to be hit, urging local governments to strengthen monitoring and issue timely warnings to residents.

Experts say climate change, driven by rising greenhouse gas emissions, is making these extreme weather events more frequent and intense. This week, Beijing faced one of its hottest days of the year so far, prompting authorities to issue the city’s second-highest heat warning.

Last year was China’s hottest on record, with the past four years being the warmest ever. While China remains the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, it is also a leader in renewable energy and has committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.

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