China Faces Devastating Floods as President Calls for Urgent Rescue Efforts

Several regions across China are currently grappling with severe flooding as relentless heavy rains continue to inundate the country. Tragically, the deluge has already resulted in at least 10 fatalities and left 33 individuals unaccounted for in Yuzhong County, located in the northwestern Gansu province, as reported by state media on Friday. Since Thursday, the heavy rainfalls have prompted serious flooding and at least one landslide in the mountainous areas surrounding the city of Lanzhou. According to state broadcaster CCTV, the severe weather conditions have knocked out power and telecommunications services in the Xinglong Mountain region, leading to the stranding of over 4,000 individuals across four villages. Among the ongoing rescue operations, three individuals are still missing following a landslide that occurred late Thursday in the village of Maliantan in Yuzhong County. Local authorities reported that by early Friday, the maximum rainfall in the area had reached an alarming 195 millimeters. In light of this crisis, Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged comprehensive rescue and flood prevention efforts to address the emerging situation. The impact of the heavy rains has also been felt in Guangzhou, where a flood-triggered landslide in the Baiyun district resulted in seven deaths and multiple injuries on Wednesday. In Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province, local officials have taken precautionary measures by shutting down schools, offices, and factories, along with closing certain traffic routes in response to the threatening floodwaters. This region harbors painful memories, having faced catastrophic floods in 2021 that claimed nearly 292 lives. Earlier reports highlighted another devastating incident that occurred in late July, where 31 individuals lost their lives at the Taishitun Town Elderly Care Centre in Beijing's Miyun district. This center was one of the hardest-hit areas by the storms, which unleashed nearly a year's worth of rain over just a few days. Following this tragedy, officials issued a rare public apology, acknowledging significant flaws in their emergency preparedness plans. Miyun Party secretary Yu Weiguo stated, ‘For a long time this senior centre was in the towns centre and was safe and as such was not included in the preparedness plans. This means that our prepared plans had holes. This has been a bitter lesson.’ The sheer scale of the ongoing disaster across China necessitates immediate action and highlights the critical need for effective flood management and disaster response strategies. As rescuers continue their arduous tasks, the nation looks toward its leaders for guidance and support during this trying time. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2