At least 53,000 individuals have been rendered homeless, with 11 people reported missing, due to ongoing heavy rainfall in southern China.
State media reports indicate that incessant downpours have caused rivers and waterways in the Pearl River Delta to swell, with authorities warning of imminent severe flooding.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, floods exceeding the warning limit by as much as 5.8 meters (19 feet) are anticipated in Pearl River tributaries by Monday morning.
Xinhua, the state news agency, quotes the local emergency management department confirming 11 missing individuals amid the continuous heavy rainfall across Guangdong province.
In total, 53,741 people have been relocated across the province, with 12,256 of them resettled promptly, according to Xinhua.
The cities most severely affected include Shaoguan, Qingyuan, Zhaoqing, and Jiangmen, located to the west and north of the provincial capital, Guangzhou.
Guangdong, home to more than 127 million people, is China’s populous manufacturing hub.
Rescuers, using motorboats, have been evacuating trapped residents, while some elderly individuals have been carried piggyback from their homes. Helicopters have also been deployed to rescue villagers stranded by rural landslides.
The National Meteorological Center forecasts continued torrential rain, thunderstorms, and strong coastal winds through Monday, affecting parts of Fujian, Guizhou, and Guangxi with “short-term heavy rainfall.”
“It is expected that the main impact period of strong convection will last from daytime until night,” the agency added.
