Severe Flooding in Southwest China Kills Six and Displaces Over 80,000

At least six people have lost their lives due to severe flooding in China’s southwestern Guizhou province, according to state media reports. Torrential rains earlier this week have forced over 80,000 residents to evacuate as rising water levels inundate homes, farmland, and infrastructure, causing widespread devastation across the region.

The situation escalated on Tuesday when “exceptionally large floods,” as described by state broadcaster CCTV, overwhelmed Rongjiang and Congjiang counties in Guizhou. Entire villages were submerged, roads were washed away, and emergency responders rushed to rescue trapped residents and provide relief supplies to displaced families.

Floodwaters have since surged downstream into neighboring Guangxi autonomous region, particularly affecting rural settlements along the Liu River — a key waterway that originates in Guizhou. By Thursday, towns and villages in Guangxi lay partially submerged under muddy waters, as the floods continued to expand with little sign of immediate relief.

Compounding the crisis is the looming threat of a tropical cyclone expected to make landfall in southern China later on Thursday. Authorities have warned that the incoming storm could worsen the flooding, bringing additional rainfall and increasing the likelihood of landslides in the already vulnerable mountainous terrain.

This flood event is part of a broader pattern of extreme weather that has gripped China this summer. In recent weeks, the country has faced a series of climate-related disasters, from intense heatwaves in the north to heavy downpours in the south. In the capital, Beijing, officials issued a red alert — the second-highest heat warning — as temperatures soared to some of the hottest levels recorded this year.

Last week, in another part of southern China, more than 30,000 people were evacuated from Hunan province, which borders Guizhou, after continuous rains caused flash floods and landslides. Emergency services there reported collapsed homes, damaged roads, and power outages affecting several districts.

China’s Ministry of Emergency Management has deployed rescue teams, boats, and aerial drones to assist in search-and-rescue operations and damage assessments. Relief agencies have also set up temporary shelters and are distributing food, clean water, and medical supplies to affected communities.

The Chinese government has acknowledged the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, linking them to the broader impact of climate change. Meteorologists warn that such phenomena are likely to become more severe in the coming years, urging greater investment in flood defenses, emergency preparedness, and environmental protection.

As the nation continues to grapple with these overlapping disasters, public concern is growing over the resilience of infrastructure in rural and mountainous areas, where resources for disaster response are often limited.