Rescue efforts underway as storms continue to batter Hainan after Typhoon Trami

Severe storms continue to sweep across south China's Hainan Province in the wake of Typhoon Trami, prompting urgent rescue operations to minimize damage and protect residents.

Despite the official downgrade of Typhoon Trami by the Central Meteorological Observatory on Monday, the island province of Hainan is still grappling with intense rainfall attributed to the storm’s residual effects and incoming cold air.

Sanya, one of the most affected cities, issued a red rainstorm warning, the highest alert level in the country's four-tier weather warning system, early on Monday morning resulting in the closure of all primary and secondary schools and kindergartens.

In Lingshui County, heavy rainfall has caused significant flooding, with roads in several towns in the county underwater. Local fire departments have been mobilized to carry out rescue operations for residents trapped by the rising waters.

As the potential threat of flooding gradually increases, water has been discharged from Sanya's three large and medium reservoirs, while 47 smaller reservoirs overflowed automatically

According to official data, the city's reservoirs held 499 million cubic meters of water by Monday morning, representing 84.15 percent of their normal capacity, an increase of 88 million cubic meters compared to historical averages. "We are currently discharging water. The water inflow is significant. We calculated the incoming volume based on upstream rainfall to discharge it in advance, releasing as much water as flows in while also ensuring water supply," said Guo Si, head of the Fuwan reservoir management office.

In order to address significant flooding on many roads in Sanya, traffic police have been deployed to facilitate vehicle movement, while municipal drainage and emergency response teams are working swiftly to alleviate flooding in critical areas.

Hainan Province issued a further orange rainstorm warning on Tuesday morning, with forecasts predicting more heavy rain that may exacerbate the situation in the coming 24 hours.

An Oriental Darter has been spotted at Huizhou West Lake in south China's Guangdong, marking the first time the species has been recorded in the province.

The bird, also known as Anhinga melanogaster, has extremely strict habitat requirements, preferring freshwater lakes and rivers with clear water and abundant fish resources. Therefore, its appearance in Guangdong suggests that local ecological environment has greatly improved.

"This species is mainly native to Southeast Asia, and its global population is relatively small. It has not been spotted in China for many years, so seeing it on the bird island at Huizhou West Lake was quite unexpected," said a birdwatcher.