Heavy rains in Southern China cause disasters in Guangdong and Fujian, many dead and missing

Heavy rainfall has led to severe flooding in southern China, particularly in Guangdong and Fujian provinces, resulting in at least nine deaths and 17 missing persons. On June 16, between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., heavy rains affected many counties in Meizhou, Guangdong. Some towns and villages experienced significant rainfall. The rising river levels then caused water to overflow their banks, small reservoirs to exceed their flood limits, and some dams to overtop. On the 17th, a video titled, Meizhou released floods late at night. The water rose six meters in an instant, and the flood equivalent was 13,000 cubic meters per second, went viral internationally. A village official in Jiaoling County, Meizhou City, Guangdong Province stated, Everyone woke up and found out that they were flooded. In Jiankong Village, Xinpu Town, Jiaoling City, Guangdong, residents noted, Now the river bank is broken and the water level has been rising. A resident of Shidong Town, Pingyuan County, Meizhou City described the scene, It rained heavily over the Xibei Reservoir. It was like the river embankment collapsed and the entire street, the first floor, and the basement flooded. On June 17, residents reported that the water level had peaked on the 16th, reaching the second floor of buildings. Although the floods have started to recede, severely affected areas remain isolated. Residents of Meizhou City expressed their concerns. The rivers have flooded, and everything can only be salvaged as scraps. All crops are damaged. There's no hope. People warned in Songyuan Town, Meizhou City, Guangdong Province, This is a flood. As long as it crosses the line, all the residential areas below will be submerged. According to information released by Guangzhou Emergency Management as of the 17th, Flash floods and landslides in Pingyuan County and other areas have resulted in five deaths, 15 missing persons, and 13 people trapped. Simultaneously, Wuping Town in Longyan City, Fujian Province, also experienced severe flooding. Official reports state that as of 10 a.m. on the 17th, multiple landslides in the county, along with other areas, caused four deaths and two missing persons. However, there are claims that the actual situation might be more severe than reported. For more UN videos visit www.un.org