Rains in southern China at highest in 60 years, more than 220,000 evacuees

Although heavy rains are frequent in late spring and early summer, mainly in central and southern China, torrential rains of an unprecedented level have been hitting the province of Guangdong (south) for several days. .

A tornado touched down in Foshan, Guangdong province about 1 hour ago.

pic.twitter.com/PrEjaqCJuP

— CyanideCN (@CyanideCN_) June 19, 2022

The city of Shaoguan, located about 200 km north of the provincial capital Guangzhou, issued a red flood alert on Tuesday, the highest level of the Chinese meteorological service.

Schools have been turned into temporary shelters and hundreds of tents have been pitched on a sports field, according to images released by the media.

A fire engine was swept down a flooded road in #Guangdong province's Shaoguan city.

Southern #China continues to be pounded by severe storms and #flooding.

#ourworld #Asianweather pic.twitter.com/wAl7PHyvYD

— Our World (@OurWorl91027476) June 20, 2022

The neighboring region of Guangxi (south) is also hit for its part by the worst rainfall since 2005. Residents were evacuated on inflatable boats and muddy waters flooded residential areas.

According to local meteorological services, 28 rivers in the region have exceeded alert levels.

In Fujian (east), a province located opposite the island of Taiwan, more than 220,000 people have left their homes as a preventive measure since the beginning of the month, according to the New China news agency.

Unheard of for 60 years

Rainfall in Guangdong, Fujian and Guangxi averaged between early May and mid-June 621 millimeters, the highest level since 1961, according to the national weather report.

These bad weather in the province of Guandong which is one of the industrial lungs of China could cause logistical problems according to the authorities.

Already in 2021, China had experienced severe flooding, with very heavy rainfall in the center of the country that killed more than 300 people.

At the time, most died in floods and mudslides in the worst-hit major city of Zhengzhou, where many motorists had been trapped by sudden rising waters in road tunnels.