On June 19th, Guangxi Province in China continued to be affected by floods. As of 4 p.m. on the 19th, the local floods had caused 431,000 people to be affected. Streets in Guilin were flooded, with water reaching waist-deep and local residents using boats to get around.
According to the emergency management department in Guangxi on the 19th, from 4 p.m. on the 18th to 4 p.m. on the 19th, 7 towns in Xing’an and Lingchuan counties in Guilin, and Zhaoping County in Hezhou, experienced torrential rain. A total of 52 towns in 18 counties (cities, districts) had heavy rain, with the highest rainfall recorded in Xing’an Town, Xing’an County, Guilin, at 442.3 millimeters.
By 4 p.m. on the 19th, 36 rivers and 60 stations in Guangxi were above the warning level by 0.05 to 3.80 meters. The water level at Wuzhou Hydrological Station on the Xijiang River was 21.82 meters, exceeding the warning level by 3.32 meters (the warning level being 18.5 meters), with a corresponding flow of 34,200 cubic meters per second. The water level at Guilin Hydrological Station on the Guijiang River was 148.47 meters, exceeding the warning level by 2.47 meters (the warning level being 146.0 meters), with a corresponding flow of 5,630 cubic meters per second.
According to China Central Television (CCTV), from June 13th to 4 p.m. on the 19th, floods occurred in 64 counties (cities, districts) in 11 cities in Guangxi, affecting 431,000 people. Among them, 56,700 people were urgently evacuated, 66,000 were relocated, 93,000 needed emergency assistance, 36,150 hectares of crops were affected, 10,800 hectares were damaged, 185 houses collapsed, 142 houses suffered severe damage, resulting in a direct economic loss of 1.73 billion Chinese Yuan.
In Liujiang, Guangxi, the water level reached 86.3 meters at 9:40 a.m. on the 19th, exceeding the warning level by 3.8 meters. This was the largest flood since 2010 and the highest flood level in the past 14 years. Since 8:30 a.m. on June 18th, all 78 ferry crossings in Liuzhou were suspended.
The sudden rise in water levels during the flood peak caused streets in Liuzhou to be submerged, hindering local residents from traveling. By 2 p.m. on the 19th, 110 trapped individuals were evacuated.
Reports from “The Paper” stated that the Guangxi Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters decided to raise the emergency response level from level three to level two for flood control in Guilin, Wuzhou, and Hezhou on the morning of the 19th.
Guilin in Guangxi also experienced flooding. Videos showed flooded streets with water reaching adults’ waist, leading citizens to use boats for transportation. Many people were seen struggling to walk through the water.
Chinese netizens commented: “There are only a few cities in China with drainage systems that work well.” “Is this the result of rampant construction? It’s almost like a circus.” “The most significant flood I’ve encountered was when the water from the Lijiang River overflowed onto the Binjiang Road.” “Guilin seems to turn into a sea every year; incidents like flooding at Jiefang Bridge occur annually.”
Some people expressed, “Oh my, it’s a bit terrifying. The damage is severe.” “Now it’s either drought or flooding – speechless. The south is plagued with floods while the north suffers from heat and drought.”