China braces for heavy rains and landslides in several regions
Nature does not rush, but its warnings demand swift action. When the sky unleashes torrents of water upon the earth, every hour of delay can be costly. Chinese meteorologists and rescuers are once again battling the elements to protect people and infrastructure from the fury of the weather. Days of heavy rain have already prompted authorities in several provinces to raise alert levels.
On Tuesday, China's meteorological services issued warnings for downpours and severe convective weather, forecasting intense rainfall from Wednesday to Friday in northern and north‑central parts of the country. The Jiangnan region south of the Yangtze River and the Huanghuai region, covering Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong provinces, are also expected to be affected. In Beijing, a short‑lived downpour on Monday brought more than 30 millimetres of rain per hour, and city authorities issued a blue rainstorm warning, as well as alerts for geological hazards and mountain torrents. Monday marked the start of the peak flood season in the capital, and the city activated a Level‑4 emergency response. In Tianjin, heavy rains flooded several roads, prompting emergency drainage work. In Hebei Province, 45 weather stations recorded rainfall exceeding 50 millimetres, with yellow and orange warnings issued. Shanxi Province also issued blue thunderstorm and high‑wind warnings. In the south, Guangxi is expected to see heavy rain in its eastern and coastal areas. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, water levels in 15 rivers across eight provinces remained above critical levels, with the maximum exceeding the warning mark by 2.29 metres. The ministry maintained a Level‑4 emergency response for Guangxi, Hubei and Hunan.
The flood season in China runs from late July to early August each year, and this year it has begun with intense rainfall. China's warning system has four levels, with Level 4 being the lowest. Authorities have mobilised resources to monitor the situation and prevent possible landslides and floods. As CCTV+ reports. Meteorologists continue to track the cyclone, and residents in affected areas are advised to take precautions.
