On the early morning of August 10th, a heavy rainstorm swept through the Sichuan Basin, leading to flooding in many areas and disrupting transportation. Cities such as Chengdu, Deyang, and Leshan experienced rainfall of torrential levels, with water accumulation exceeding 30 centimeters in some regions. This sudden and intense downpour not only caused inconvenience to residents’ daily lives but also exposed the vulnerability of the urban drainage systems.
The CCTV reported that from August 9th to the morning of August 10th, the western part of the Sichuan Basin and other areas were hit by heavy rainfall, with some areas experiencing torrential or extremely heavy rain, and Deyang encountering a severe rainstorm. Almost all of the top spots in the national meteorological station’s ranking of 6-hour accumulated rainfall were dominated by various regions in Sichuan. This unexpected heavy rainfall had a significant impact on the local residents, causing internal flooding in many places and blocking traffic on some roads.
According to the weather bulletin issued by the China Meteorological Administration, a severe rainfall event occurred in the western part of the Sichuan Basin from the night of August 9th to the morning of August 10th. The Chengdu Meteorological Observatory issued a yellow warning signal for heavy rain at 5:30 am on the 10th, with short-term heavy rainfall and thunderstorms occurring in the main urban areas and surrounding areas.
Monitoring data showed that some stations in Chengdu received over 80 millimeters of rainfall in 6 hours, reaching the level of a torrential downpour. The early morning thunder and lightning woke up many citizens from their sleep, and the pouring rain caused water accumulation on low-lying roads during the morning rush hour, making it inconvenient for commuters.
The meteorological bureau in Deyang reported that some local areas experienced heavy rain, with hourly rainfall rates exceeding 40 millimeters. In Mianzhu, Shifang, and other places, internal flooding occurred, with water depths in some low-lying areas exceeding 30 centimeters.
In Leshan, the heavy rain caused the water level of the Min River to rise rapidly. By 8:00 am on the 10th, the monitoring data from the Leshan hydrological station showed a 1.2-meter increase in water level compared to the previous day. Some riverside paths were flooded, and precautionary measures were taken with designated personnel on duty. In the Dongpo District of Meishan City, flooding occurred in some old residential areas, prompting community workers to assist residents in moving valuable items and deploying water pumping equipment for drainage operations.
The Sichuan Provincial Meteorological Observatory issued a blue alert for heavy rain at 15:45 on August 9th, stating that from 20:00 on August 9th to 20:00 on August 10th, parts of Mianyang, Deyang, Chengdu, Ya’an, Meishan, and Leshan would experience heavy rain (50-90 millimeters of rainfall), with some areas receiving extremely heavy rain (180-230 millimeters). The maximum hourly rainfall intensity would range from 60 to 90 millimeters, accompanied by short-term thunderstorms and strong winds. Additionally, parts of Yibin, Zigong, Neijiang, Ziyang, Suining, Nanchong, Bazhong, southwestern Guangyuan, southern Aba Prefecture, central and southern Ganzi Prefecture would experience moderate to heavy rain (25-60 millimeters).
The rainy conditions in Sichuan are expected to continue.
The Sichuan Provincial Meteorological Observatory forecasts that from August 10th to the 11th, there will be a significant rainfall event in Sichuan, with continuous heavy rainfall in most parts of the basin. Cities such as Chengdu, Bazhong, Yibin, etc., will experience heavy rainfall in some areas, along with severe convective weather. Local wind speeds may reach level 8 or above; the western Sichuan Plateau and the western part of the Panxi region will be cloudy with thunderstorms or showers, ranging from light to moderate rain, with some areas experiencing heavy to torrential rain.
On August 11th, most of the Sichuan Basin will be mostly cloudy, with regions such as Dazhou, Nanchong, Guang’an, Suining, Ziyang, Neijiang, Zigong, Yibin, Luzhou, as well as the eastern and western mountainous areas of Chengdu, Meishan, and Bazhong experiencing thunderstorms or showers. Some areas will see moderate to heavy rainfall, with localized heavy to extremely heavy rainfall and short-term heavy precipitation and gusty winds. Local wind speeds may reach level 8 or above; the southern part of Aba Prefecture, the northwestern and southern parts of Ganzi Prefecture, as well as the western parts of Panxi region will be cloudy with thunderstorms or showers, with moderate to heavy rain in some areas, and isolated torrential rain.
By August 12th, most of the Sichuan Basin will be cloudy, with regions such as Dazhou, Guang’an, and Luzhou, and the western mountainous areas seeing thunderstorms or showers, with some areas experiencing moderate rain. The western part of the Sichuan Plateau and the Panxi region will be partly cloudy to overcast, with thunderstorms or showers, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of Aba Prefecture, the central and southern parts of Ganzi Prefecture, and the southern and western parts of Panxi region experiencing moderate to heavy rainfall.