Since June this year, China has entered the flood season. Continuous heavy rain has caused severe flooding in many regions in central and southern China, leading to serious damage to local residents. As entering the “flood prevention critical period” in July and August, floods may occur in the seven major river basins in China.
From July 13th to 14th, floods above the warning level occurred in 31 rivers in Anhui, Henan, Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jilin, and other provinces.
Currently, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Hunan provinces have entered level III emergency response for flood defense. Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Hubei, Chongqing, Sichuan, and five other provinces and cities have entered level IV emergency response for flood defense. In addition, on July 14th, Zhangye City in Gansu Province has activated level IV emergency response for flood defense.
From July 16th to August 15th is the “flood prevention critical period” in China, which is the most challenging period for flood prevention each year. According to official predictions, during this critical period, floods may occur in the seven major river basins, while local heavy rain can easily trigger floods in small and medium-sized rivers, mountain torrents, urban waterlogging, and pose risks to small and medium-sized reservoirs, dangerous reservoirs, and sedimentation dams.
The seven major river basins in China, also known as the “Seven Great River Systems,” are as follows from north to south: Songhua River Basin, Liao River Basin, Hai River Basin, Yellow River Basin, Huai River Basin, Yangtze River Basin, and Pearl River Basin.
On July 13th, the Huai River experienced the “first flood of 2024.”
Just a week before that, the dike of Tuanzhou embankment in Huarong County, Hunan Province, on the Dongting Lake breached, with the breach extending to 226 meters the next day, and the “second line of defense” 2 kilometers away from the breach also faced a crisis.
Since July 10th, heavy rainfall has been reported in 26 districts and counties in Chongqing, including Banan, Yubei, Beibei, Tongnan, Hechuan, and Dazu, with Changshou and Fengdu seeing torrential rain. Due to the rainfall, 15 rivers in the city have exceeded the alert water level.
According to Jiemu News, at least six people in Chongqing have died due to geological disasters or drowning caused by heavy rainfall. Additionally, a low-lying driving school suffered heavy losses due to urban waterlogging, with 30 instructor cars being submerged. Chongqing Railway Station announced the suspension of 32 trains on July 15th.