Heavy rains swept across China's eastern and southern regions last weekend, triggering flooding in some of the worst-affected cities. A thunderstorm lashed Neijiang City in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The deepest floodwater was nearly two meters high, trapping many villagers in their homes.

Local firefighters rescued the trapped locals with rubber boats. By Monday morning, about 1,400 residents were evacuated. Torrential rains also caused landslides, power line collapses, traffic disruptions and farmland flooding. The authorities issued a yellow alert and stepped up efforts to minimize the impact of the strong convection weather. Outdoor power sources in low-lying areas have been shut off, and outdoor activities in open areas have been suspended.