Thousands forced to leave homes due to China's flooding crisis.
Heavy downpours have been hammering the Chinese province of Fujian for several consecutive days. Local authorities have had no choice but to relocate over 36,000 residents due to the excessive rainfall. Numerous rivers have surpassed their critical water levels by several meters. It seems like the rain won't let up anytime soon, with more expected to fall at the beginning of the week.
The heavy rainfall has reportedly displaced some 36,000 people, as per the local flood control and drought relief headquarters, as reported by Xinhua news agency. The relentless rain has wreaked havoc in various areas of Fujian, necessitating immediate action. Over 179,800 people were affected by the rainfall on Saturday evening. The floods have also ruined 12,350 hectares of farmland, causing an estimated economic loss of 1.61 billion Yuan (210 million Euro).
From Saturday dawn till Sunday dusk, several hydrological stations in eleven rivers across the province reported water levels rising as high as 3.65 meters above the caution threshold. As of Sunday morning, several stations still showed water levels above this mark.
Chinese authorities have forecasted more heavy rainfall in several regions on Sunday night. According to the National Meteorological Center, several provinces such as Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangxi, and Guangdong will likely face heavy rain or storms on Monday. There's a likelihood of intense rainfall, with daily precipitation exceeding 70 millimeters, accompanied by thunderstorms or storms, as per the center.
In response, the Ministry of Water Resources and the Meteorological Administration have issued an orange alert. There's a risk of landslides in some areas in the mentioned provinces, particularly in the southwest of Zhejiang and the north of Fujian. Local governments have been advised to take preventive measures. China operates a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red being the most alarming level, followed by orange, yellow, and blue.
Read also:
The extreme weather conditions in China, specifically the heavy rain in Fujian, have led to an international concern, with neighboring countries also predicted to face heavy rainfall. Due to the extreme weather, China's flooding crisis has forced over 36,000 people to leave their homes, with several floods causing widespread damage and affecting over 179,800 people.
