Affected by Typhoon “Tammy”, Hainan Province has been experiencing continuous rainfall since the 26th of this month. From the 29th to the 30th, most parts of Hainan received rainfall exceeding 100 millimeters, with many townships in Qiongzhong, Tunchang, Qionghai, and Wanning recording over 250 millimeters of rainfall, causing a rapid rise in the Wanhuan River’s water level. Authorities announced that the Niu Lu Ling Reservoir and Hong Ling Reservoir in the upper reaches of the Wanhuan River exceeded the warning water level, leading to flood discharge starting at 5 am on the 30th.
According to reports from CCTV, the flood discharge resulted in 123 villages in seven towns along the Wanhuan River being inundated. The towns of Shibizhen and Longjiang were the hardest hit, with communication disrupted and road access blocked.
In Qionghai City, a total of 42 power lines were cut off affecting 25,700 users, and 22 roads were blocked. As of the 30th, 7,154 people in Qionghai have been evacuated.
Videos posted by netizens showed that after the flood discharge, Qionghai was submerged with roads and vehicles completely underwater.
On that day, many netizens commented that the water level was “over two meters already” and that it was expected to rise by “1-2 meters more”. They expressed concerns over the continuous flood discharge leading to rising water levels. Some said, “Yes, continue the flood discharge and evacuate promptly.” Others expressed shock saying, “I thought Sanya had severe flooding, but I didn’t expect Qionghai to be so severely affected,” and “Qionghai is flooded due to flood discharge.” Some shared personal experiences like, “My house is next to Jiaji Bridge, water is already at the doorstep, the lower areas have reached the first-floor lobby,” and “No mood to eat, all investments in farming and aquaculture are ruined,” and “All cars are now scrap,” showing the immense impact on the local community.
Amidst the economic difficulties recently faced by the residents, this flooding has added to their woes. The extent of the losses is unimaginable for many, with some lamenting that “everything is gone”, and describing the scenes in Qionghai as “indescribably tragic”. The sentiment echoed was that despite escaping the direct impact of the typhoon, the city couldn’t evade the devastating consequences of the flood discharge.