Since April 18th, Guangdong has been covered by thunderstorm clouds, with a total of 70 rainstorm warning signals in effect throughout the province. Shaoguan, Qingyuan, Yingde, and other areas have been submerged in floods, with several towns inundated. As of the 22nd, flooding has not yet subsided in some areas. Ms. Han from Yangshan in Qingyuan told Dajiyuan that the flooding came unexpectedly and caught them off guard, saying they woke up to find themselves underwater.
Residents in Qingyuan suspect that the abnormal water levels were caused by intentional discharge by the government, leading to floods in surrounding towns and villages. By the 22nd, the Feilaixia Reservoir in Qingyuan was in an open discharge state.
According to mainland Chinese media reports, the Guangdong Hydrology Bureau stated that on April 22nd at 3 a.m., the Feilaixia Reservoir experienced a maximum inflow rate of 18,900 cubic meters per second, close to a once-a-century event (19,200 cubic meters per second).
Currently, all 15 gates of the Feilaixia Reservoir have been opened and are in an open discharge state. Downstream water levels are noticeably rising, with the Beijiang River operating at high levels.
In addition to the Feilaixia Reservoir, the Lechangxia Water Conservancy Hub in Lechang City, Shaoguan, is also discharging water, with outflow rates increased to 2,000 cubic meters per second.
The Guangdong Provincial Department of Water Resources stated that they are also coordinating the discharge of floodwaters from 15 key water projects in the Beijiang River basin and 12 cascade navigation hubs in the Lianjiang main stream.
Ms. Qin from Yangshan County in Qingyuan believes that the flooding is related to the reservoir discharge. She told Dajiyuan on the 22nd, “I heard that they opened the floodgates in Lianzhou. If they discharge water there, we will definitely be flooded here.”
“The flooding was so sudden and unexpected; we never thought it would flood. On the night of the 20th, the flood gradually rose to its highest level. Those living on the first floor basically all got flooded.”
She added, “The market where I am located has been flooded, the two roads I take to work are flooded, and there are cars parked there. When the water level was at its highest, the roofs of the cars were submerged.”
Ling Xiuzhen, another resident of Qingyuan, remarked, “Floods rarely reached this level before, it is mainly due to the discharge.”
Renowned hydraulic expert Wang Weiluo once told Dajiyuan that dam breach incidents are a headache for the Chinese authorities. During the flood season, they simply release water through the gates, focusing only on the safety of the dams and neglecting the safety and property loss issues faced by the people when floodwaters are discharged.
As the floodwaters swept through the towns, roads were submerged, cars were washed away, houses were submerged, and residents were trapped.
Videos circulating online showed a wall collapsing due to floodwaters in a community in Shaoguan on the 20th, with cars and bicycles being carried away.
Another video from the 21st depicted cars driving on flooded roads in the Qingcheng district of Qingyuan City, Guangdong.
Ms. Han from Yangshan in Qingyuan described the severe flooding in Yangshan in Dajiyuan on the 22nd, saying, “The flood in Yangshan was significant in the past two days. The flow of water was massive. In the morning of the 21st, the ground floor of those pedestrian streets, those shops, were all affected and flooded.”
“Those living on the first floor, in the villages, in the county town were all flooded. In larger areas, water even reached the second floor.”
She mentioned that the water levels are now receding, with efforts underway to clean up the mud from the streets.
Ms. Qin expressed concerns about the severe losses suffered by businesses, especially those on the ground floor.
Hengguan Town in Yingde City is a heavily affected area, with the town’s roads submerged. Ms. Han told Dajiyuan, “The situation in Yingde is even more serious. The flooding has reached the height of two stories. The commercial shops have all suffered and been flooded.”
According to mainland media reports, as of the morning of April 22nd, the 358 National Road in Hengguan Town was still submerged, with many storefronts along the street still soaked in water. After the flood peak passed, the water levels in Hengguan Town had decreased slightly by over 10 centimeters by noon on the 22nd compared to the 21st.
Currently, some areas in the town are still without water and electricity.
In recent days, Guangdong has experienced widespread heavy rainfall. A total of 70 rainstorm warning signals and 65 thunderstorm and strong wind warning signals have been issued across the province.
Relevant departments of the Guangdong provincial government stated that as of the evening of the 22nd, the torrential rain over the past few days had resulted in 4 deaths and 10 missing persons in Guangdong.
At 8 a.m. on the 21st, Guangzhou initiated a Level Three emergency response for the Guangzhou section of the North Jiangbei Dike, operating according to Level Two emergency response standards.
According to the Southern Metropolis Daily, on the afternoon of the 22nd, water levels in the North Jiangbei Dike had significantly risen, with a banana field submerged in floodwaters along the river, and an island in Sanshui District, Foshan, also affected by flooding.
The Guangdong Provincial Meteorological Observatory forecasted continued frequent precipitation in Guangdong over the next week. On the 22nd, moderate to heavy rainfall was predicted in the northern parts of Shaoguan and Qingyuan, with local heavy rain; while moderate to heavy rain, with some areas experiencing torrential rain, was expected in the southern parts of Shaoguan, Qingyuan, and Zhaoqing City.
At 9 a.m. on the 22nd, the Shijiao Station upstream in Qingyuan recorded a peak flow rate of 18,100 cubic meters per second, passing through the Guangzhou responsibility section. By 2 p.m., the water level at the Shijiao Station was 11.23 meters, the Huangtang Station in the Guangzhou responsibility section recorded 7.81 meters (with the alert level at 8.5 meters), the Lubao floodgate was discharging at 500 cubic meters per second, and the Southwest floodgate at 300 cubic meters per second.