Recent heavy rainfalls have plagued southern China, with Wu Ping County in Fujian Province suffering severe damage. A total of 17 townships in the county and 47,800 people have been affected by the disaster. As of 10 a.m. on June 17, at least 4 people have died and 2 others are missing.
According to a report from the China Weather Network on June 17, heavy rainfall continues to affect regions such as South Jiangnan and South China. Parts of southern Hunan, central and southern Jiangxi, southern Zhejiang, northern Fujian, and northeastern Guangxi have experienced torrential rain.
On June 16, the main rain belt in the south was located in the region from northern Guangxi to southern Jiangnan; Guangdong and Fujian were in the warm and humid air flow control zone, leading to localized heavy rainfall. Monitoring data shows that some areas in southern and central Zhejiang, central and southern Jiangxi, southwest Fujian, northeast and southern Hunan, central and southern Guizhou, southern Sichuan, northern Guangxi, and eastern Guangdong have seen heavy or torrential rain, with localized extremely heavy rain reported in Longyan, Fujian, Meizhou, and Shanwei, Guangdong.
The flooding in Wu Ping County, Fujian Province, has caused severe damage with videos and images circulating online showing streets submerged in floodwaters, and residential homes inundated.
According to official announcements on the Wu Ping County WeChat account, the county experienced a sudden and extreme downpour starting at 2 p.m. on June 16, with the largest rainfall recorded in Yanqian Town at 372.4 millimeters over a 24-hour period.
Preliminary statistics indicate that 47,800 people in 17 townships (streets) in the county have been affected, with 378 houses collapsed, 880 hectares of crops damaged, 135 damaged roads spanning 73.3 kilometers, 158 damaged embankments covering 3.18 kilometers, 582 telecommunication stations damaged, and direct economic losses amounting to 415 million yuan. As of 10 a.m. on June 17, landslides in multiple townships like Xiadaba, Zhongchi, Xiangdong, and Zhongbao in Wu Ping County have resulted in 4 deaths and 2 people missing.
Earlier, the Fujian Provincial Flood Control Office reported that persistent heavy rainfalls in the central and northern regions of Fujian have also caused damages. As of 6 a.m. on June 14, the ongoing heavy rain has affected 51,500 people in Nanping and Sanming, damaging 3,133.94 hectares of crops, with nearly 27,000 people being urgently relocated in Fujian.
Apart from Fujian Province, Guangdong Province has also been severely affected. Official reports show that as of 7 a.m. on June 17, 130,000 households in Meizhou have experienced power outages, leaving some towns and villages disconnected. The Guangdong Emergency Management Department stated that as of June 17, flash floods and landslides have occurred in multiple areas such as Sishui, Renju, and Dongshi towns in Pingyuan County, Nancun Town in Jiaoling County, and Songyuan Town in Meixian District, resulting in 5 deaths, 15 missing persons, and 13 people trapped.
(Related Coverage: Meizhou, Guangdong, towns cut off by heavy rain: residents say lower areas submerged)