Devastating floods and landslides in China’s Guangdong province claim lives and cause billions in damage

In China’s Guangdong province, torrential rainfall has led to devastating floods and landslides, claiming the lives of at least 47 people and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in economic damage. According to Chinese central television station CCTV, 38 more people were confirmed dead due to floods in Mai Chau city in Guangdong province, bringing the total number of deaths to 47.

The heavy rains began at the start of the week, with some areas receiving more than 300 mm of rain. The highest average level of 199 mm was recorded on June 16. This led to landslides, floods, and mudflows that caused serious damage to infrastructure in eight towns.

Mai Chau city officials recorded the largest flood level in history on the river flowing through the city. Direct economic losses in Tieu Linh and Mai Huyen districts, the two most severely affected areas in Mai Chau, were estimated at 502 million and 146 million USD, respectively. Many areas in China are expected to continue experiencing heavy rain and extreme weather in the next 24 hours, with warnings issued by the China National Meteorological Center for provinces in the south and some areas in northern China.