China evacuates tens of thousands as rain from Typhoon Narra lashes southwest

Torrential rain from Typhoon Narra has inundated China's southwestern Guangxi region, prompting the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents over the weekend. State broadcaster CCTV reported that around 54,000 people have been relocated due to the severe flooding, with 8,087 moved to emergency shelters.

Aerial footage revealed extensive flooding in Chongzuo city, where brown floodwaters submerged roads and low-rise buildings. Rescuers were seen navigating knee-deep water in rubber boats to reach stranded individuals in inundated neighborhoods. The typhoon has been situated over the Beibu Gulf for several days, contributing to heavy rainfall in Guangxi and neighboring provinces like Hainan and Guangdong.

Forecasters warn that the heavy downpours are set to continue across parts of southern China through Wednesday. Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, and Fujian are expected to experience torrential rain. The persistent weather system has already impacted China's space program, leading to the postponement of the uncrewed Chang'e-7 lunar mission launch from Hainan's Wenchang Space Launch Site. The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand, which has a payload on the mission, cited the typhoon as the reason for the delay.