Rescue work underway as torrential rains batter parts of China

Local governments in regions of China affected by the recent heavy rainfall, including southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Sichuan Province and central China's Anhui Province, are stepping up rescue operations to aid residents trapped by floodwaters.

The National Meteorological Center maintained a yellow alert for rainstorms on Monday morning, the third level in a four-tier warning system, as torrential rains continue to batter many sections of the country.

According to the Chongqing Hydrological Monitoring Center, 13 districts and counties experienced heavy rainstorms between 8 a.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. on Sunday, causing water levels to exceed the warning level in six rivers.

The water level of the Daqingliu River, which crosses the border between Sichuan and Chongqing, rose 0.29 meters above the warning level in Rongchang District at 4 p.m. on Sunday, resulting in the flooding of houses and farmlands in the district. The local authorities immediately organized the evacuation of the people. As of 2:20 p.m. on Sunday, 3,654 people in the district had been evacuated.

Heavy rainfall hit Neijiang City in Sichuan Province on Saturday, causing waterlogging and landslides. Local firefighters promptly conducted rescue operations, evacuating residents from flooded low-lying areas, particularly assisting elderly individuals with mobility challenges. Rubber boats and water suction pumps were deployed to ensure safety and convenience for affected residents.

As rainfall persisted in Neijiang, a level III emergency response for flood control was implemented on Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, in east China's Anhui Province, the Wangjiaba Dam, a key floodwater defense from the Huaihe River, one of China's major waterways running through the east of the country between the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, recorded a water level of 27.51 meters at 4:18 p.m. on Saturday, which surpassed the warning level.

On the same day, the local authorities upgraded the emergency response Level III, noting that the Huaihe River is having its "No. 1 flood" in 2024.

According to the Ministry of Water Resources on Sunday, China is experiencing concurrent droughts and floods, with floods expected to get worse from late July to early August. In response to the escalating frequency and severity of these extreme weather events, the ministry has launched a comprehensive flood prevention mechanism on Monday, deploying targeted defense measures nationwide.