Severe storms across China have killed at least 15 people, injured hundreds, and forced tens of thousands to evacuate, state media reported on Tuesday. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for 'all out' rescue efforts to assist those affected by the extreme weather.
Hubei Province Hit by Severe Convective Weather
In central Hubei province, thunderstorms and gale-force winds killed at least 11 people and injured 331, according to the state news agency Xinhua. The agency described the weather as 'severe convective weather' that struck cities late Monday. It reported that 4,800 houses were damaged and 22 collapsed. 'This episode of severe convective weather was characterised by its sudden onset and intense, short-duration winds,' Xinhua added.
Guangxi Flooding and Typhoon Maysak
In the southern Guangxi region, heavy rains and severe flooding from Typhoon Maysak killed at least four people, with 50,000 evacuated and eight still missing. Officials in Nanning, the regional capital, raised the flood control emergency response to the highest level after torrential rain breached dams. Dramatic video shared by state media showed a torrent of muddy water rushing past crumbled concrete walls of a reservoir dam that had burst.
Gansu Landslide Burials
On Tuesday morning, a landslide in a village in northwestern Gansu province buried 33 people. China Central Television (CCTV) reported that 17 were 'successfully rescued,' but did not specify the cause. Local authorities said they are 'making every effort' to search for those still trapped, 'properly relocate and settle affected residents, and strictly guard against secondary disasters.'
Xi Jinping's Rescue Directive
President Xi Jinping urged rescuers to 'go all out' in organising emergency operations, state media reported. Rescue workers wearing life vests and helmets searched for people, while others were deployed on inflatable boats, as shown in state media footage.
Broader Context of Extreme Weather
Natural disasters are common across China, especially in summer, when some regions experience intense rainfall while others face scorching heat. Scientists warn that the intensity and frequency of global extreme weather events will increase as the planet continues to warm due to fossil fuel emissions. At least 22 people were killed in China in May after heavy rains lashed central and southern regions, with some places 'hit by record-breaking rainfall,' state media reported.
