In recent days, the central and southern regions of China have been hit by record-breaking heavy rains, causing severe floods and mudslides. As of May 20, the disaster has resulted in at least 22 deaths and 20 people missing.
Since May 15, several provinces in central and southern China, including Hunan, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Hubei, have experienced extreme rainfall, with some areas breaking historical records for precipitation. Among them, the situation in Hunan province is the most severe.
According to the Emergency and Safety Production Committee of Shimen County, Hunan Province, as of May 20, a total of 103,247 people in 23 towns and townships in the county have been affected by the disaster, resulting in 5 deaths and 11 missing persons.
According to local hydrological monitoring, as of 11:00 pm on May 18, the average rainfall in Shimen County has reached 164.4 millimeters, ranking first in Changde City. The maximum daily rainfall occurred on May 17 at Tianpingtou Station in Shimen County, Changde City, with 492.5 millimeters.
Neighboring provinces such as Guizhou and Hubei have also been affected by the disaster. According to reports from Guizhou Province, floods have caused 4 deaths and 5 missing persons. In Enshi County, Hubei Province, heavy rain has led to 3 deaths and 4 missing persons. In addition, in Guangxi, a truck driving over a bridge in Huanjiang County was swept into the river due to a sudden rise in water levels, resulting in 10 deaths.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP) statistics, nearly 24,000 residents have been evacuated from disaster-stricken areas in provinces such as Hunan, Guizhou, and Hubei.
Weather forecasts indicate that from May 20 to 21, there will be sustained heavy rainfall in northern Jiangxi, eastern Guizhou, northern and coastal Guangxi, northern and coastal Guangdong, and southern Hainan.
The situation remains critical as rescue and relief efforts are underway to assist those affected by the catastrophic floods and mudslides in China’s central and southern regions.