Extreme rainfall in Guizhou Province appears to have stopped after days of downpours and severe flooding that left six people dead and displaced tens of thousands, CGTN reports.
The highest-level emergency flood response was officially terminated in Rongjiang county at 10 am on Sunday after rainfall eased and floodwaters began to recede. The day prior, the county had received a Level-I response – the highest in China’s four-tier system – when rainfall resumed after a short lull, multiple media outlets report.
More than 41,000 people had reportedly been evacuated by 6 pm on Saturday, aided by over 1,000 police with heavy equipment. Meanwhile, emergency response teams have been working to rescue trapped people, clear silt, disinfect affected zones and pump water out of low-lying neighbourhoods.
[See more: China struggles with heatwaves in the north and flooding in the south]
Rongjiang country has a population of 385,000 and is located at the confluence of three rivers.
The central government has allocated a total of 200 million yuan (about US$27.9 million) to support emergency response and post-disaster recovery in Guizhou since 25 June, including an additional 100 million yuan announced over the weekend. The funds will go towards restoring damaged infrastructure and public services, especially in severely affected counties such as Rongjiang, Congjiang and Sandu.
Guizhou and its bordering provinces have been lashed with torrential rain since 18 June. Chief forecaster at the Guizhou Provincial Meteorological Bureau Qiao Qi told media that heavy rainfall in southern China in late spring and early summer was usual, but this year, it converged with the southwest monsoon, which transported moisture from the Indian Ocean and contributed significantly to the deluge.
