Extreme Rain Events in China Causing Major Crisis
At least 7.68 million people across 10 Chinese provinces have been affected by extreme rain events and sever flooding, said the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Weather related disasters have left dozens of people dead or missing, destroying thousands of homes and hundreds of thousands of hectares of crops.
East China
“In east China’s Jiangxi Province, six people died, according to the provincial civil affairs department. Among them, two drowned in swollen rivers, while four were killed by lightening.
“Three people remain missing, 105,700 hectares of crops were ruined, 969 houses destroyed and direct economic losses have been estimated in the region of 2.16 billion yuan (about 328.5 million U.S. dollars).
“About 199,000 people have been displaced, including about 13,000 from Guxiandu, Poyang County where a river breached its banks on Monday evening. More than 400 armed police plan to mend a 100-meter gap in the river defenses on Wednesday. “We’re waiting because the water level remains high,” said a police spokesman.
Southeast China
“Thousands of homes were flooded in Poyang county, Jiangxi province, late on Monday after Bintian Reservoir overflowed as torrential rain continued to wreak havoc in South China.”
“In Hunan province, a flooded river in Longshan county forced about 18,500 residents to leave an ancient township.
“Torrential rains and floods have affected 213,800 residents and forced the relocation of 32,800 people in the province, according to provincial authorities.”
“In neighboring Guizhou province, rescuers saved more than 150 residents who were stranded after their villages were flooded in Yanhe county. More than 1,500 people were relocated,” local media reported.
Central China
In central China’s Hunan Province, torrential rains have triggered extensive flooding forcing at least 20,000 people, including 5,000 tourists, to evacuate, Official Xinhua reported
Fire Earth 