At Least Six Dead, 80,000 Displaced as Severe Floods Ravage Southern China

At least six people have died and over 80,000 residents have been forced from their homes after catastrophic floods inundated parts of China’s southwestern Guizhou province this week, according to state media.

State broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday that “exceptionally large floods” began sweeping through Rongjiang County on Tuesday, triggering a top-level emergency response from authorities. By Tuesday evening, some 80,900 people had been evacuated as swollen rivers overwhelmed towns and villages.

“As of 11 a.m. Thursday, six people have unfortunately lost their lives,” the local flood control headquarters confirmed.

Large swaths of Rongjiang County were left submerged, with severe damage to infrastructure in low-lying areas. Roads were cut off, communication networks collapsed, and residents were trapped in upper levels of their homes as water levels rose rapidly.

A report from Xinhua on Wednesday described a football field submerged under three meters of water. One resident recounted being rescued from the third floor of their home as floodwaters surged into the building.

Though floodwaters have now receded below danger levels, authorities say the focus has shifted to post-disaster recovery, search and rescue efforts, and restoring essential services.

Nearby Guangxi region has also been battered by relentless rains. State media shared images of muddy torrents sweeping through residential neighborhoods in Meilin Township, while flood alerts have been triggered on at least 20 rivers coursing through the region.

Landslides and water damage have severely impacted communication networks, with Guangxi’s telecommunications officials pledging closer coordination with emergency responders to support ongoing relief operations.

Meanwhile, other parts of China are grappling with extreme weather of a different kind. In Beijing, authorities issued the second-highest heat warning this week as the capital endured one of its hottest days of the year. And in neighboring Hunan province, tens of thousands were evacuated just days earlier due to similarly intense rainfall.

China’s increasingly volatile weather patterns have fueled concern about the mounting impact of climate change, as authorities across the country brace for what could be a long and turbulent summer.