At Least 18 Dead as Heavy Rains Trigger Flood Disaster in China

At least 18 people have been confirmed dead after days of torrential rainfall triggered severe flooding and landslides across southern and central China, authorities said on Tuesday.

Chinese weather officials warned that several provinces, including Jiangxi, Anhui, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, and Hainan, remain at high risk of flash floods, landslides, and urban waterlogging as heavy downpours continue to sweep through the region.

According to state media reports, one of the deadliest incidents occurred in the Guangxi region, where a pickup truck carrying farm workers plunged into a flooded river while attempting to cross a submerged bridge. At least 10 people were killed in the accident.

Additional fatalities were reported in Guizhou, Hubei, and Hunan provinces following separate incidents linked to flooding and landslides. Authorities have since launched emergency response operations, evacuating residents from vulnerable communities and setting up temporary shelters for thousands displaced by the disaster.

The severe weather has also forced the closure of schools, businesses, roads, and transportation services in several cities. In parts of Hubei province, floodwaters submerged roads and vehicles, leaving residents stranded as emergency teams worked to rescue trapped civilians.

China’s National Meteorological Centre attributed the extreme weather to moisture convergence from the Bay of Bengal, the South China Sea, and the Pacific Ocean, combined with a slow-moving storm system that has intensified rainfall accumulation over a vast area stretching more than 1,000 kilometres.

Authorities have allocated about 150 million yuan in disaster relief funding as more heavy rain is forecast along parts of the Yangtze River basin over the coming days.