Historic flooding in southern China kills 47, with more floods feared in coming days

People clean away debris in the aftermath of flooding from heavy storms in Meizhou in southern China’s Guangdong province, June 18. AFP-Yonhap

Nine people have died and six are missing after downpours caused historic flooding in rural parts of southern China’s Guangdong province, while authorities warned Friday of more flooding ahead in other parts of the country.

Four people are dead and four are missing, in Meixian district in Guangdong’s Meizhou city, state broadcaster CCTV reported Thursday night. Another five are dead in Jiaoling, a county of Meizhou.

The heaviest rains were from Sunday into Tuesday, toppling trees and collapsing homes. A road leading to Meixian district completely collapsed during the heavy rains. The Songyuan river, which winds through Meizhou, experienced its heaviest recorded flooding, according to CCTV.

The estimated direct economic loss is 3.65 billion yuan ($502 million) in Jiaoling, while in Meixian, the loss is 1.06 billion yuan ($146 million).

Other parts of the country also face torrential rains and extreme weather in the next 24 hours, with the National Meteorological Center issuing a warning for several provinces in the south and a few individual places in the north.

Henan and Anhui provinces in central China, as well as Jiangsu province on the coast and the southern province of Guizhou, all are expecting hail and strong thunderstorms, according to the forecast. Rainfall could be as high as 50 mm to 80 mm in one day in Henan, Anhui and Hubei provinces, the National Meteorological Center said.

Last week, southern Fujian and Guangxi provinces experienced landslides and flooding amid heavy rain. One student died in Guangxi after falling into a river swollen from the downpour. (AP)