Severe rainstorms and floods continue in multiple provinces across China from south to north. On the mornings of July 15th to 16th, Nan Yang and other areas in Henan Province were hit by heavy rainstorms, with Nan Yang’s Sheqi County experiencing record-breaking extreme heavy rainfall and severe flooding.
According to China’s CCTV network, the Henan Provincial Meteorological Observatory upgraded its rainstorm orange alert on July 16, 2024, at 9 a.m. It reported that from yesterday (July 15) to this morning, southwest and central-eastern parts of Henan Province experienced heavy rainfall, with regions in northeastern Nan Yang, western Zhu Ma Dian, Luohe, Xu Chang, northern Zhou Kou, southern Kai Fang, and western Shang Qiu witnessing heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. The highest precipitation was recorded in Sheqi County at Da Feng Ying with 638.5 millimeters.
China Weather Network also stated that from yesterday (July 15) to this morning, areas in Nan Yang, Zhou Kou, and Xu Chang in Henan became the national center of rainfall, with some regions experiencing extremely heavy rainfall. The rainfall at the meteorological observation station in Sheqi County in Nan Yang significantly exceeded the local daily rainfall record.
Videos posted by netizens showed that overnight, Sheqi in Nan Yang turned into a vast waterlogged area, experiencing severe flooding.
A resident of Xin Ye County in Nan Yang, who was out running errands, told Epoch Times reporters on the morning of the 16th, “The water level is not too high right now, but certainly it will increase later today. The water flow is blocked, the roads are all jammed. It’s expected to rise by 4 p.m., and I’m starting to feel anxious.”
Another resident living in the outskirts of Nan Yang mentioned that their home was flooded, with the water even reaching the refrigerator. They had to evacuate to a relative’s house.
A staffer from a hotel in Sheqi County mentioned that due to the flooding and blocked highways, many guests were unable to leave and had to extend their stays. The rural areas in Sheqi suffered severe flooding, while the situation in the urban areas was slightly better with water rising to about one-third of the tire’s height and even reaching the car’s exhaust pipe, posing a danger for driving. She also added that although the rain had eased up, the future situation remained uncertain, and residents were on high alert.
Official reports indicate that today, July 16th, Henan, Shandong, and other regions have become the core areas for heavy rain, with localized areas in Henan experiencing extremely heavy rainfall, prompting red-level rainstorm alerts in Nan Yang, Shang Qiu, Zhou Kou, and Kai Fang.
The Beijing Central Meteorological Observatory forecasts that from July 16th to 18th, some areas in Sichuan Basin northwest, eastern Henan, southern Shandong, and northern Anhui will have heavy rain and localized extremely heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, strong winds, and short-term heavy precipitation.
Official statistics show that since the start of the flood season, 16 rivers in 6 provinces and cities across the country have experienced floods exceeding the warning level. Major rivers and lakes in the Pearl River, Yangtze River, Tai Hu, and Huai River basins have successively encountered 20 instances of major flooding. Presently, the second-level flood in Tai Hu and the first-level flood in Huai River are evolving, while the first and second-level floods in the Yangtze River are still in progress, with risk mitigation efforts ongoing in the dangerous situation at Tuan Zhou Dike in Hua Rong County, Hunan.
Following several days of heavy rain, mudslides occurred in Guang Yuan, Sichuan, and there was severe water logging in parts of Nei Jiang City, with risks of flooding and landslides.
In Hubei’s Shui Zhou, a truck was swept away by water while crossing a bridge, causing at least 4 fatalities. Local netizens claimed the upstream Feng Jiang Kou Reservoir released water before the incident. Severe flooding was reported in Dan Jiang Kou urban area of Hubei, and over 200 small reservoirs exceeded their flood limits.
In Anhui, 42 small and medium-sized reservoirs surpassed the warning levels, requiring flood discharge. In Wu Hu, rising river water led to several people being trapped.
Thirteen districts and counties in Chongqing experienced heavy rainstorms, with mudslides in Kaizhou disrupting roads and necessitating traffic control. Due to the heavy rain, 32 train services departing from Chongqing Railway Station were suspended on the 15th. The City Water Resources Bureau anticipates significant river level rises this weekend along the Yangtze and Jia Ling Rivers.
From the 10th to the 14th, the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River operated 8 sluices for flood discharge and increased to 9 on the morning of the 15th.
The Chinese official claim that reservoir construction can “regulate droughts and floods” has in reality led to “diverting water in dry seasons and discharging floods during rainy seasons.” The sudden flood discharges from large reservoirs in various river basins in China have exacerbated flooding, especially when flood discharges are often carried out quietly in the middle of the night, resulting in more severe losses of lives and properties downstream. In the past, there have been public protests against official flood discharge practices leading to disasters in locations like Guangxi and Fujian.
Authorities predict that during this year’s “early flooding in July and late flooding in August” period, floods will be more frequent and intense. In this critical period of flood prevention, flooding events are likely to occur in the seven major river basins of China.
The seven major river basins of China, also known as the “seven major water systems”, from north to south are: Songhua River basin, Liao River basin, Hai River basin, Yellow River basin, Huai River basin, Yangtze River basin, and Pearl River basin.