Recently, Fujian Province has been hit by flooding, affecting at least 520,000 people. On June 16, Longyan City, Shanghang County, in the province experienced heavy rainfall, resulting in at least 4 deaths. A landslide occurred at Qingyuan Mountain in the area, causing a temple to collapse and burying 6 people. The “First Hakka Ancestral Temple” and the Li Clan Ancestral Hall in Shanghang County suffered extensive collapse. Earlier reports mentioned that Wuping County in Longyan City also faced flooding, with at least 4 deaths and 2 people missing.
The Fujian Provincial Flood Control Office reported on June 18 that as of 8 p.m. on the 17th, 523,700 people in Fujian Province had been affected by the disaster, with 32,400 hectares of crops damaged, and direct economic losses amounting to 5.654 billion RMB.
On the 18th, Xinhua News Agency stated that the Flood Control and Drought Relief Command Headquarters of Shanghang County in Longyan, Fujian Province, reported that from the 16th to the 17th, rainfall in 15 towns including Chadi and Lufeng in Shanghang County broke historical records during a 24-hour period. Incomplete statistics show that the heavy rainfall has already resulted in 4 deaths in the local area.
The “New Beijing News” reported on the 18th that on the night of the 16th, due to heavy rain, a landslide occurred at Qingyuan Mountain in Shanghang County, causing some buildings to collapse.
According to the report, a village official in Taiba Village revealed that a temple collapsed in the area while residents were taking refuge inside. The Taiba Town government mentioned that a preliminary investigation confirmed that the landslide resulted in the burial of 6 missing persons.
Starting on the 17th, mainland Chinese social media circulated news that the “Li Clan Ancestral Hall in Shanghang County has collapsed.” On the 18th, staff at the Li Clan Ancestral Hall confirmed to “The Paper” that the ancestral hall indeed suffered extensive collapse after being hit by heavy rain.
The staff stated that the rain was very heavy and lasted a long time, with the extensive collapse occurring at 4 a.m. on the 16th. While the main hall is still standing, the side halls suffered serious damage. The scene has been cordoned off, preventing access by others, with many cultural relics still buried within the collapsed building.
Aerial photos from the 17th showed the main hall of the ancestral hall submerged in water, with the central hall and the semi-circular rear buildings relatively intact, while the side halls suffered extensive collapse.
Public records show that the Li Clan Ancestral Hall, also known as the Huode Hall, located in Guantian Village, Rentian Town, Shanghang County, Fujian Province, was built in the 16th year of the Qing Dynasty (1836) and is the largest and best-preserved ancestral hall in Fujian Province, known as the “First Hakka Ancestral Temple.” The ancestral hall covers an area of over 5,600 square meters and houses 3 main halls, 26 side halls, and 104 living quarters.
The staff mentioned that the ancestral hall underwent repairs last year with dedicated funds, making the collapse that occurred now particularly regrettable.
In addition, Wuping County in Longyan also faced flooding. According to official information from Wuping County on the 17th, a preliminary count revealed that this flooding affected 17 towns (streets) in the entire county, with 47,800 people affected, 378 houses collapsed, 880 hectares of crops damaged, 135 road damages covering 73.3 kilometers, 158 damaged embankments spanning 3.18 kilometers, 582 damaged communication base stations, and direct economic losses of 415 million RMB. As of 10 a.m. on the 17th, landslides occurred in many areas in towns like Xiaduo, Zhongchi, Xiangdong, and Zhongbao in Wuping County, resulting in 4 deaths and 2 missing persons.
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Heavy rainfall in southern China, at least 4 dead and 2 missing in Wuping, Fujian flood.