Intense Rains Force Evacuation of Nearly 10,000 in Central China

Nearly 10,000 people have been evacuated in China's central Guizhou province following "exceptionally intense" rains that lashed the region over the weekend. The downpours, which occurred between Saturday and Sunday, triggered widespread flooding, particularly impacting the cities of Qianxi and Zunyi, and Changshun county.

Local authorities have activated 24-hour emergency operations. So far, 1,377 residents from 491 households have been evacuated, and over 50 people trapped by the floods have been rescued. In Changshun county alone, more than 3,000 residents from approximately 1,000 homes downstream of the Bancong reservoir were moved to safety after a power outage affected the reservoir's operations, leading to a breach.

China's Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration issued a red alert on Sunday afternoon, the highest level, warning of mountain torrent risks in southeastern Guizhou from Sunday night into Monday. In response, authorities have intensified monitoring of 27 rivers and deployed thousands of flood control personnel. Preventative evacuations have also been carried out in other southern regions, including Guangdong province, which activated an emergency response due to forecasts of heavy rains and potential river flooding.

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Every organizer in special supervision will be directed to take corrective actions in accordance with the applicable regulations.