Torrential rains swept through parts of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Monday and Tuesday, triggering floods and prompting a swift emergency response from local authorities and armed forces.
One residential community in Huanjiang County of Hechi City was deluged with 166.5 millimeters of rain in 24 hours up to Tuesday morning.
The downpour caused local rivers to rise by one to three meters, flooding roads and farmland and leading to power outages in several villages.
Local authorities activated emergency protocols and evacuated more than 120 residents from flood-prone areas.
As floodwaters gradually receded, firefighters and government workers joined villagers to clear mud and debris from streets and storefronts.
Residents described the flooding as abrupt and overwhelming, leaving little time to prepare.
"We lost boxes of milk, liquor and beer. The water rose too fast, so we didn't have time to move anything. By the time we checked around 06:00 in the morning, it had already reached the doorstep and by 06:30 had flooded about 10 centimeters inside despite our clearing efforts," said Huang Ziran, a shop owner.
By Wednesday night, power supply in the area had been fully restored and daily life was gradually returning to normal.
Meanwhile in Tian'e County, also in the city, sustained downpours caused severe flooding in Nazhou Village on Monday morning, trapping more than 30 residents.
Armed police were quickly dispatched with inflatable boats and rescue equipment, and all stranded villagers were safely evacuated by late morning.
In a separate rescue operation, more than 400 ninth-grade students and 30 teachers were relocated from a flooded school building just one day before the senior high school entrance exam.
The group was transferred to an alternate exam site in the county later that morning, ensuring the test would proceed as scheduled despite the rainfall.
Heavy rain hits Guangxi, residents evacuated to safety
