Recent severe flooding has occurred in many areas of China. In Shanghang County, Fujian Province, six people reported missing due to flash floods have unfortunately been confirmed dead, with at least four others previously reported dead. In Pingyuan County, Meizhou City, Guangdong Province, the flooding has claimed the lives of at least 38 people, with reports of water levels reaching several meters deep. Additionally, heavy rainfall in Jiangxi Province has led to flooding in multiple areas, with water levels in Poyang Lake surpassing 17 meters and several reservoirs being opened to release floodwaters.
In recent days, Fujian Province has been facing severe flooding. According to official reports, as of 8 p.m. on June 19, a total of 702,000 people in 538 towns and villages across 43 counties and districts in Fujian Province, including Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone, have been affected by the floods. A total of 4,490 houses have collapsed or suffered severe damage, and 5,180 others have been moderately affected. Approximately 50,360 hectares of crops have been impacted, resulting in direct economic losses amounting to 9.84 billion Chinese yuan.
On June 16, Shanghang County in Longyan City experienced torrential rain, resulting in at least four deaths. A landslide at Qingyuan Mountain caused the collapse of a temple, where some residents were taking shelter. Six individuals were buried and reported missing as a result. On June 22, state media reported that all six missing individuals in Taiba Town, Shanghang County, had been found, but unfortunately, they had all perished.
In addition to Shanghang County, in previous reports, Wuping County in Longyan City also faced flooding, resulting in at least four deaths and two individuals missing. A video released by flood victims in Wuping County on June 20 accused the government of neglecting rescue efforts after cameras stopped rolling, stating, “The government is being unreasonable.”
The flooding in Pingyuan County, Meizhou City, Guangdong Province, was severe as well. Authorities reported that from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 16, the county experienced heavy rainfall causing landslides and mudslides in multiple towns. Eight towns including Sishui, Shangju, Chagan, Renju, Dongshi, Bachi, Zhongxing, and Hetou were severely affected.
Preliminary statistics as of 3 p.m. on June 21 indicated that the flooding had resulted in 38 deaths and two missing persons in Pingyuan County. A total of 55,388 residents were affected, with 2,247 houses collapsed and 3,203 severely damaged. The flood also caused road collapses at 4,697 locations, damage to 356 kilometers of road surfaces, 82 road closures, damage to 111 bridges, interruption of 107 communication base stations, submersion of 86 power stations, and damage to 6,759 hectares of crops and 452 hectares of aquaculture, leading to an estimated direct economic loss of approximately 5.85 billion Chinese yuan.
Due to the Chinese authorities’ consistent suppression of information, the severity of the situation is suspected to be much worse than officially disclosed.
Residents of Meixian District in Meizhou, Guangdong, on June 17 reported that several towns were submerged, with water levels several meters deep, and described the situation as “complete devastation in low-lying areas.” Videos showed streets flooded with water, with ground-floor shops completely submerged and flooding reaching up to the second floor. They mentioned that even the iconic arcades of Meizhou Ancient Town were submerged in water.
From June 11 to 18, heavy rainfall hit several areas in Jiangxi Province. According to state media, as of 3:30 p.m. on June 18, the floods in Jiangxi affected 481,000 people across 70 counties (except for Jiujiang and Jingdezhen) in nine prefecture-level cities, resulting in emergency evacuations of 3,398 people and relocation of 2,806 individuals. Approximately 57,500 hectares of crops suffered damage, with 2,400 hectares being a total loss, and 26 houses in 9 households collapsed, while 43 houses in 8 households were severely damaged. A total of 253 houses in 135 households were moderately affected, resulting in a direct economic loss of 470 million yuan.
On June 18, the water level at the Ji’an Station of the Gan River in the middle reaches reached 50.51 meters, exceeding the alert level and meeting the criteria for the “No. 2 Flood of 2024” in the Gan River.
The water level at the Xingzi Station, a landmark hydrological station at Poyang Lake in Jiangxi, continued to rise. As of 8 a.m. on June 21, the water level at the Gongqing Station had risen to 17.22 meters, and at the Xingzi Station to 17.09 meters, marking an increase of 5.34 meters compared to the same period last year, with the current level being 1.91 meters below the alert level.
The flooded area in the lake region covers 3,180 square kilometers, an increase of 1,810 square kilometers compared to the same period last year.
The authorities in Jiangxi opened multiple reservoir gates, including those in Wuning and Xiushui in Jiujiang City upstream, to release floodwaters starting from June 20, in an effort to manage the flooding situation.