At least 30 dead after Typhoon Gaemi cut off towns in China’s Hunan province
On Thursday, rescue teams reached eight towns that had been cut off from the outside world since last Sunday, due to destroyed infrastructure and power grids.
“As of 12:00 on August 1, the roads, electricity, and communications in the eight towns in Zixing City most severely affected by Typhoon Gaemi are largely restored, and search and rescue efforts have made significant progress,” the local authorities confirmed to Xinhua.
Rescue operations are still underway, local authorities said.
In response to the severe flooding in Hunan, China raised its emergency response level to better support local disaster relief efforts and ensure basic living security for the affected people, the country’s Ministry of Emergency Management said Thursday.
Typhoon Gaemi initially made landfall in China on the evening of Thursday July 25, with winds approaching 110 kph (70 mph). The storm continued west-northwest through China, bringing heavy rainfall and winds, with forecasters predicting that rainfall could range from 150 to 250 mm (6 to 10 inches), with amounts up to 400 mm (15 inches) in higher elevation areas and along the coast.
The storm previously caused torrential flooding in Taiwan, with rainfall in five townships totaling over 1,285mm (50 inches).
Footage shows flooding and torrential winds in Nantou, Taiwan on July 25, 2024.
Typhoon Gaemi was deflected off its forecasted track by Taiwan’s mountainous terrain and spent more than six hours offshore, making a loop near the Hualien coastline instead of making landfall on the evening of Wednesday, July 24.
Farther south, Gaemi had also flooded much of the Philippine capital after it worsened torrential monsoon rains.
The restoration of infrastructure and services in the affected towns in Zixing City has allowed the world to learn about the progress of the search and rescue efforts, as information is now being transmitted from China.
Considering the destruction caused by Typhoon Gaemi in China, other nations around the world are keeping a close eye on China's efforts to manage and recover from the natural disaster.
