Heavy Rain and Flooding in Hunan: Four Dead, Thousands Evacuated

Hunan Province, China – Torrential rains and severe flooding in China's southern Hunan province have resulted in the deaths of four people and forced the evacuation of thousands, state media reported Tuesday.

The extreme weather conditions, driven by the remnants of Typhoon Gaemi and a southwest monsoon, have caused significant damage across the region. The National Disaster Relief Commission has earmarked 238 million yuan (US$33 million) for disaster prevention and agricultural aid as floodwaters continue to wreak havoc.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, the continuous downpours have led to breaches in major dikes and dams, inundating vast areas of farmland. The Juanshui River, a key waterway in the region, has surged to record levels, breaching three dikes over the past two days. One of these dikes was repaired on Monday, but the situation remains critical

In Zixing County, nearly 90,000 residents have been affected by the flooding, which has damaged approximately 1,400 homes and disrupted around 1,300 roads, the People's Daily reported. Power outages have also hit several villages.

The heavy rains have caused the Juanshui River to flood, contributing to the record-high water levels seen in the Xiangjiang River, a major tributary of the Yangtze River. Rainfall has exceeded 645mm in some areas in just 24 hours, according to local reports.

On Sunday, a landslide triggered by the intense rainfall killed 15 people in Hunan, adding to the previous day's fatalities. The disaster follows another fatal incident in Shanghai on Saturday, where a delivery person was killed by a falling tree.

Typhoon Gaemi, which initially formed east of Palau on July 19, reached its peak strength with winds of up to 230 km/h (145 mph) and made landfall in Taiwan on July 24. The storm weakened to a tropical depression as it moved inland, but its impact continues to be felt across the region.

The storm also caused significant disruption in other parts of Asia. In the Philippines, the typhoon, known as Super Typhoon Carina, led to at least 34 deaths and severe damage. In Taiwan, it resulted in at least 10 fatalities. Additionally, an oil tanker capsized in Manila Bay, causing what could be the worst oil spill in Philippine history.

China has issued warnings and activated emergency plans in response to the ongoing weather events. Last week, the government convened to discuss measures for tackling natural disasters. So far, the country has allocated at least 6.9 billion yuan (US$951 million) in disaster relief funds, with additional emergency funds totalling around 1.4 billion yuan (US$196 million) being released to support affected areas.

As the weather system moves, the focus remains on providing immediate relief to those impacted and assessing the long-term effects of the flooding.