Thousands of Towns and Villages Devastated by Floods in China

Extreme Rain Events and floods destroy or damage an estimated 200,000 homes affecting 50 million people

Extreme rain events and devastating floods have left about 600 people dead or missing and affected up to 50 million others  in 30 provinces since the beginning of the year, authorities said.

The toll so far this year stands at

• No of people killed by floods: at least 337 
• No of people missing: 213
  
• No of injuries: NOT released, possibly thousands
• No of houses destroyed: at least 150,000
• No of houses damaged: NOT released, probably hundreds of thousands
• Farmland affected: 4 million hectares
• Source: China’s Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (SFCDRH)

And the flood season hasn’t even started!

“China is expected to face serious flood control challenges in the next 30 days as it heads into flood season,” said a report quoting the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

This year’s flood season will run from about July 15 to Aug 15, authorities said.

Heavy rainfall is expected in northern and southwestern China, causing severe flooding in many major rivers, such as the upper reaches of the Yangtze, Haihe, Yellow, Songhua and Liaohe rivers.

Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Henan and Guangdong provinces should expect 24-hour rainfall amounts of up to 200 mm, said the National Meteorological Center.

Sichuan will be in the height of its rainy season over the next few months, possibly bringing more chaos to the already battered province.

“Since most of the same parts of Sichuan province will be hit again with heavy rainfall, severe floods, flash floods and mudslides are likely,” said a Ministry of Water Resources official. (Xinhua)

Meantime, Tropical Cyclone CIMARON, the eighth storm of the year, is forecast to make landfall  in Southeast China on Friday, just days after Tropical Storm SOULIK hit Fujian and Jiangxi provinces.

Sichuan Province

Rainstorms and floods hit 43 counties in Sichuan producing total  precipitations of 400 mm to 800 mm in Deyang and Dujiangyan, and 800 mm to 1,151 mm in some areas  between July 7 and 12, said deputy head of the Sichuan Provincial Meteorological Administration.

The extreme events destroyed 13,400 houses, affecting 3.47 million people and forcing at least 300,000 people to relocate.

Related Links

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• Typhoon SOULIK Affects 2 Million in China  July 15, 2013
• Hundreds of Thousands Evacuated as SOULIK Hits China July 13, 2013
• Extreme Weather Wreaks Havoc in SW China July 10, 2013