Southern China has recently been hit by extreme heavy rainfall due to the impact of Typhoon “Shadel.” Among the most affected areas is Putian City in Fujian Province, which recorded the highest daily rainfall in the country. With over 500 millimeters of rainfall in multiple towns, the region is facing continuous challenges such as flooding, landslides, collapsed houses, and people being stranded.
Typhoon “Shadel,” the 18th typhoon of the year, has triggered heavy rainfall in various parts of China, including Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangdong, and Hunan provinces, leading to severe downpours in several regions.
In Putian, Fujian, the heavy rainfall has caused severe flooding. By 7 a.m. on September 4th, the hourly precipitation at the Putian National Meteorological Observatory reached 41.4 millimeters, ranking first nationwide for that hour. Within the previous 6 hours, the accumulated rainfall reached 174.7 millimeters, also ranking top in the country.
According to data from the China Meteorological Administration, Putian saw hourly precipitation of 41.4 millimeters and a 6-hour accumulated precipitation of 174.7 millimeters, both ranking the highest in the country on September 4th at 7 a.m.
The combination of Typhoon “Shadel” circulation and cold air has led to exceptionally heavy rainfalls in Putian, Xiuyu, and Xianyou, with Putian experiencing a daily rainfall of 416.5 millimeters, breaking the local September historical record. Xiuyu and Xianyou also set new daily rainfall records at 386.8 millimeters and 372.8 millimeters respectively.
Regional automatic station data shows that rainfall in Pingyang Village, Huating Town, Wanban Village, Lingchuan Town, and Dongpu Yu Village exceeded 500 millimeters, causing severe internal flooding in several towns in the Mulan River basin.
On September 3rd, the Huating Town section of Mulan River in Putian experienced a collapse of the flood embankment, leading to water flooding into Xihu Village.
Putian City implemented the “Three Stops, One Rest” measures starting from 1 p.m. on September 3rd, including suspending work, production, classes, and closing markets citywide. On September 4th, the Putian Meteorological Observatory continued to issue a Level I rainstorm warning, with Xiuyu, Licheng, Chengxiang, Hanjiang, and Xiuyu areas all under a red rainstorm alert.
The impact of the disaster extends beyond urban road flooding, with rising water levels in villages causing house submersion, road collapses, and people being trapped.
Huqiao Town in Chengxiang District of Putian, especially the Hualin Industrial Park, suffered severe damage due to flooding, with power outages and water flooding up to the first floor. Nearby Xiagao Village also faced severe flooding.
Xagao Village, listed as the fourth batch of Fujian provincial-level traditional villages, with a long history, saw the collapse of some old houses due to continuous heavy rain and flooding. Some residents were trapped, facing shortages of water and food.
Videos show numerous houses near Xagao Village submerged in floodwaters, with some already collapsed due to the inundation.
Xizhu Village in Gongchen Street, Licheng District, was also severely affected. Residents reported that water levels rose continuously from the evening of September 3rd, with some areas experiencing flooding reaching half a floor or higher, forcing residents to move to higher floors to await rescue. The village suffered water and power outages, with some old houses collapsing, leaving residents with limited drinking water and bread.
A more dire situation unfolded in Shanpai Village near Hualin Industrial Park in Putian. One resident reported that by the morning of September 4th, water on the first floor of their house had risen to about 3 meters. The elderly and children in the house were trapped, leading to a loss of contact as their phones ran out of battery. Photos shared by neighbors showed some old houses collapsing after being submerged by floodwaters.
Additionally, in Hanjiang, houses in the Taqiao area were swept away by floodwaters. Witnesses informed the Xiao Xiang Chen report that in a video taken at 8:37 a.m. on September 4th, four houses had already collapsed in the area. Fortunately, occupants had been evacuated earlier in the morning, averting casualties.
Floods not only threat resident homes but also impact local historical and cultural heritage sites.
Xiuyu County also faced heavy rainfall, resulting in severe damage to the ancient Jin Feng Bridge with a history of over 800 years. The bridge suffered multiple fractures due to the impact of flooding, causing significant destruction.
The Jin Feng Bridge, located on the Mulan River in Linan Town of Xiuyu County, was initially constructed during the Southern Song Dynasty. However, the current structure reflects restoration during the Qing Emperor Yongzheng’s eighth year. Following the flood, high water levels and strong currents made it difficult for personnel to inspect the bridge directly, requiring aerial surveys using drones.
Simultaneously, the heavy rainfall led to increased road hazards. According to reports, on the afternoon of September 3rd, a landslide occurred along the Beizuo County Road 22 in Duwei Town, Xiuyu County. Fallen trees blocked the road, prompting firefighting and police personnel to initiate emergency response efforts. Portions of roads in Chengxiang and Hanjiang districts of Putian also suffered from erosion and collapses due to the heavy rainfall.
While some residents faced interrupted transportation from the floods, others experienced shortages of essential supplies.
Reports indicate that a worker from Hubei, currently in Putian, had his ground-floor residence fully submerged by floodwaters, forcing him to wade through chest-deep water in search of food. With water and power cut off, returning home became challenging, leaving him to wait in a vehicle parked at a higher location until water levels receded.
Additionally, a Putian resident revealed that their mother’s dormitory in a shoe factory compound was submerged by over a meter of water, with water and power disruptions prompting some workers to seek refuge in higher floors.
The National Development and Reform Commission’s official WeChat account reported on September 4th that Fujian’s Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Ningde, and Putian regions had suffered from flooding due to the combination of typhoons “Jianlavi” and “Shadel” as well as heavy rainfall.
Given the current circumstances, the current round of heavy rainfall demonstrates characteristics such as concentrated precipitation, extremely high rainfall, rapidly rising river levels, and the compounding risks of flash floods and internal flooding.
As of now, several regions in eastern Fujian continue to face heavy rainfall, including possible severe and extremely heavy rainfalls, requiring ongoing rescue and recovery efforts in the towns along the Mulan River and posing significant challenges in the days ahead.
With repeated rounds of heavy rainfall in parts of Fujian, the high soil moisture content poses increased secondary disaster risks such as flash floods, mudslides, and landslides if significant rainfall occurs in a short period.
The situation in Putian’s Xiahua Village remains critical due to ongoing heavy rainfall, leading to water and power cuts and residents being trapped.
Residents of Xiahua Village in Putian, Fujian, have been enduring continuous heavy rainfall in recent days, with local netizens commenting, “The rain just doesn’t stop!”
The persistent heavy rainfall has caused severe flooding, leaving some residents facing water and power cuts, transportation disruptions, and temporary confinement in their homes.
Images circulating online show that several local roads have been submerged by floodwaters, raising concerns about the extent of the disaster.