Home / Disasters and Accidents / China Floods: 22 Dead, Tens of Thousands Displaced
China Floods: 22 Dead, Tens of Thousands Displaced
21 May
Summary
- At least 22 people died due to severe rain and floods across seven Chinese provinces.
- Tens of thousands of residents were displaced by the intense storm system.
- Hunan province reported over 31,000 evacuated and at least five deaths.
Heavy rainfall has caused devastating flash floods across seven provinces in southwestern and central China this week, resulting in at least 22 fatalities. The storm, characterized as the year's most intense, began on Friday, unleashing up to 12 inches of rain over approximately five days in affected regions. Coastal city Fangchenggang saw rainfall reach nearly 32 inches.
Hunan, a mountainous southern province, was among the hardest-hit areas, with provincial authorities reporting over 31,000 residents evacuated. The flooding there led to at least five deaths and 11 people missing, prompting a national disaster relief response. Guangxi, bordering Vietnam, recorded ten deaths when a vehicle plunged into a river.
Further south, Guizhou experienced four deaths and five missing individuals. In the central province of Hubei, three people died and four remain unaccounted for. Images depicted residents wading through waist-deep waters and emergency teams conducting rescues. The China Meteorological Administration has forecast additional precipitation for southern areas, including Hong Kong, raising concerns about further urban flooding.
