Disastrous rainstorms drench provinces across China

Disastrous weather conditions continue to drench provinces across China at the turn from summer to fall with deadly floods tearing through villages in Northeast China's Liaoning Province this week, leaving over 300 people stranded, and 50 deaths and another 15 missing in Central China's Hunan Province. Post-disaster restoration works are currently proceeding.

Deadly floods have been devastating villages and towns in Jianchang county, Huludao city, Liaoning after disastrous torrential rainstorms hit the western part of the province between Sunday and Tuesday morning, leaving over 300 villagers being stranded.

Helicopters have been deployed for the emergency transfer of stranded residents, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Due to the impact of the heavy rain, communication within Jianchang county can only be conducted via satellite phone, and the highways leading to the area have been closed.

As of Tuesday afternoon, relevant departments in Liaoning have sent rescue forces to Jianchang in support of the disaster-relief efforts, according to Xinhua.

The local flood control authority made the decision on Monday to open the sluice to discharge floodwater of the local reservoir at a rate of 50 cubic meters per second with a set duration of seven days.

Meanwhile in Central China's Hunan Province, so far 50 people have been confirmed dead and another 15 remained missing as of Monday in Zixing city in the province after it was severely hit by torrential rainstorms spawned by Typhoon Gaemi that swept across China in late July, local authorities revealed on Monday, vowing an all-out effort in searching for those remain missing and the post-disaster restoration to proceed in full swing.

According to local officials, between July 26 and 30, Typhoon Gaemi triggered deadly rainstorms in Zixing, a locality under the administration of Chenzhou city in Hunan, resulting in 19,513 landslides and 45,629 collapsed structures, Chenzhou Daily reported on Monday.

Power was cut to 149 villages, affecting 66,793 households, roads were blocked in 152 villages, and telecommunication was disrupted in 78 villages. A total of 128,000 people were affected.

Following the disaster, the provincial and city authorities swiftly mobilized rescue forces to rescue the stranded personnel, with a total of 695 people successfully rescued and 23,419 people urgently evacuated.

In order to search for the missing personnel, 1,168 professional rescue personnel were mobilized, along with five helicopters and over 80 drones.