Heavy rain has struck China’s southwestern Guizhou province for the second time in a week, half-submerging the city of Rongjiang and prompting the evacuation of residents to higher ground. The floodwaters, which rose to 253.50 meters (832 ft), have left six people dead and forced over 80,000 to flee their homes.
Rongjiang, located at the confluence of three rivers, was hit by record downpours that left a significant amount of rain in just 72 hours. The city’s flood emergency response level has been raised to the highest level, with over 40,000 residents evacuated as of Saturday evening.
The floods in Guizhou are set to have a significant impact on local economies, which had seen an unexpected tourism boom after a local soccer league became a social media sensation. Climate change is believed to be contributing to heavier and more frequent rain in the region, with some scientists warning that massive flooding could lead to unforeseen “black swan” events with dire consequences.
The floods are part of a larger trend of summer storms affecting southern China, with 13 major rivers rising above their warning levels over the past two days.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/heavy-rain-hits-chinas-flood-stricken-guizhou-second-time-week-2025-06-28