Floods Devastate Communities in China, Chile, Peru

Extreme rain events and hail storms since Friday have damaged about 20,000 hectares of crops in 52 towns and villages in central China’s Hunan Province, affecting up to 240,000 people, and leaving more than 12,000 displaced as of Saturday evening, reported Xinhua.

In the east China’s Jiangxi Province, torrential rains have battered 54 cities and counties as of Saturday,”with some towns flooded and a highway landslide reported on Saturday afternoon. Icy roads have caused several bus accidents in the province,” said the report.

Scores Dead or Missing in Chile Floods

Widespread flash floods and mudslides, triggered by the heaviest rainfall in 80 years, have killed dozens of people, left more than a 100 missing and displaced thousands of others in Chile’s Atacama region.

The extreme weather events have affected tens of thousands of people across the region which reportedly includes the world’s driest desert.

“Rivers have burst their banks, flooding towns, making roads impassable and forcing miners in Chile, the world’s top copper exporter, to suspend operations,” IBT reported.

Peru Declares a State of Emergency

Record rains have also triggered major mudslides in eastern Peru, killing or injuring dozens of people, and leaving at least a dozen others missing.

President Humala of Peru has declared a state of emergency in the region east of the capital Lima that has been affected by the deadly mudslides.