What a ‘once a century’ flooding in China’s Guangdong province looks like
Heavy rains have battered the south of China, killing three people and forcing over 60,000 to be evacuated. State media has called it a ‘once a century’ event. The calamity coincides with World Earth Day that calls attention to environmental protection
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Residents row a boat on the floodwaters following heavy rainfall, at the Xiashahe village, in Qingyuan, Guangdong province. Over the weekend, heavy rains hammered the area, flooding homes, streets and farmland and threatening to upend the lives of tens of millions of people. Reuters
On Saturday, the central and northern parts of the province in cities of Zhaoqing, Shaoguan, Qingyuan and Jiangmen were battered by a 12-hour-long stretch of rainfall. Following the torrential rain, residents were forced to take shelter in different parts of the cities, including different underpasses. Reuters
State media reports that three people have died so far, while 11 have gone missing. Additionally, authorities have evacuated nearly 60,000 people from their homes. AFP
Across the province about 1.16 million households lost power over the weekend, but 80 per cent had their electricity restored by Sunday night. Flights have been cancelled and delayed at Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou due to continuous rain, while schools have been ordered shut in at least three cities. Reuters
Houses remain submerged in floodwaters following heavy rainfall, at a village in Qingyuan, Guangdong province. According to authorities, this is the earliest arrival of Guangdong's annual flood season since records began in 1998. Reuters