Heavy rain causes flooding, disrupts traffic in Guangdong, Jiangxi

Severe downpours on Friday and Saturday have stranded many residents at homes and disrupted train and traffic across Guangdong and Jiangxi, prompting local authorities in the southern and eastern provinces to take emergency measures.

On Saturday morning, some trains on the Beijing-Guangzhou route through Shaoguan and Yingde cities in northern Guangdong were canceled or rerouted due to the heavy rain, leaving many passengers stranded at Shaoguan East Railway Station.

The railway authority quickly organized shuttle buses to transport affected passengers to the Shaoguan Railway Station, where six high-speed trains were deployed to ferry passengers to Guangzhou South Railway Station.

The first group of 930 passengers arrived at the Guangzhou South Railway Station in the morning. Additional staff and volunteers were on hand to assist vulnerable passengers at the station.

In Shaoguan City, intense rainfall over the last 24 hours has resulted in significant urban waterlogging and disruptions to several national and provincial roads.

Emergency responders including firefighters and armed police have been relocating residents and conducting road repairs.

According to the weather bureau, the heavy rainfall is expected to persist until Monday.

Meanwhile, the province of Jiangxi has issued an orange alert, the third highest in China's four-tier rainstorm warning system. In Dingnan County of Ganzhou City, water levels in small to medium rivers have risen significantly, leading to flooding in some areas.

Local sanitation workers have been urgently clearing clogged sewers in waterlogged areas to drain floodwater and maintain traffic flow.

"We are clearing clogged sewers one by one to ensure that rainwater can drain quickly. We're also intensifying patrols on key roads to promptly deal with any blockages or drainage," said Li Ning, director of the Sanitation Office at the Urban Management Bureau of Dingnan County.

Since Friday night, much of Jiangxi has experienced heavy rainfall which has caused river and reservoir levels to rise.

In preemptive actions, several medium to large reservoirs in the cities of Ganzhou and Xinyu were opened to discharge water, aiming to reduce pressure and mitigate potential flooding.

As of 13:00 on Saturday, water levels of all large- and medium-sized reservoirs in Jiangxi were below flood limits, so were the levels of major rivers in the province.

Heavy rain causes flooding, disrupts traffic in Guangdong, Jiangxi

On his second official visit to China, Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu Charlot Salwai expressed admiration for China's remarkable ability to balance preserving its cultural heritage with embracing innovative transformation.

Salwai paid an official visit to China from July 7 to 12. During his trip, he toured the southern province of Guangdong and explored the megacities of Beijing and Shanghai. His visit included tours of high-tech companies, a ride on a high-speed train, and a performance of traditional Cantonese opera.

In an interview with China Central Television Network (CCTV) aired on Friday, Salwai recounted his journey starting with a warm welcome that included enjoying Beijing Roast Duck, also known as Peking Duck -- a culinary delight introduced to him by the Chinese ambassador in Vanuatu.

"Many had to say. Peking Duck. Because we had it here on our arrival, so it was very tasty. And I understand that the Chinese ambassador in Vanuatu brought us to one of the traditional restaurants, small but beautiful," he said. The prime minister sees China's preservation of its culture as a vital lesson in understanding one's roots and the journey to the present day, acknowledging China's efforts to integrate cultural preservation with modernization.

"It's going to be my second official visit to China. I'm always impressed to see big changes and especially innovations made by China and especially the cities. Because a big impression is to see how China continues to maintain and keep its culture. Because I think it's the basis of everything -- to know where you come from and to understand where we are today. I feel that China is doing a lot to maintain its culture, but at the same time, doing, innovating to transform its culture,” Salwai said.

He also emphasized the importance of learning from China's sustainable development strategies.

"Today, it comes from a long way, some hardship, the government, and also the people of China. So, I'm impressed to see what is done, especially how China associates infrastructure development with nature. That's meant to keep, continue to keep the environment. It takes effort with the climate change by maintaining the ecosystem. I think it's something that, for a small country like Vanuatu, is important to learn. So, we are here. I'm here with my delegation to learn," Salwai said.

Vanuatu's PM commends China's cultural preservation, innovation amid fast growth