The latest round of torrential rains triggered a major flood emergency in Rongjiang County, southwest China's mountainous Guizhou Province, prompting the rapid evacuation of over 41,000 local residents and deployment of relief forces across the region.
As relentless rainfall battered Rongjiang, floodwaters again surged on Saturday, forcing the region back into an emergency response mode just as cleanup from prior floods had begun.
On Saturday morning, the Rongjiang Meteorological Bureau issued a red alert for heavy rain. By midday, a top-level flood emergency response was activated. At 18:00, the new flood crest passed through the county seat, causing the river's water level to rise above 253 meters, 1.63 meters above the warning threshold, with flow rates reaching 8,060 cubic meters per second.
Authorities mobilized swiftly. More than 8,000 local officials, soldiers, and other rescuers fanned out across the county's seven key flood zones and 29 coordinated response grids to move people to safety.
With the sirens blaring across the county, residents in low-lying and riverside areas were evacuated immediately.
In the 4th flood zone alone, home to nearly 60,000 people and around 30,000 households, over 60 officials and militia members went door to door to ensure no one was left behind.
Despite repeated warnings, some residents were observed lingering in ground-floor apartments or attempting to retrieve belongings by car. Emergency personnel quickly intervened.
"Don't go any further. The floodwater is rising fast. Turn back!" a rescue worker urgently told a resident.
Many rescuers have been working around the clock for days. Tian Geng, deputy commander of the 4th flood zone and Party secretary of Chemin Subdistrict of Rongjiang, hasn't been home for over ten days.
"My own home has also been flooded. I haven't been back home since the beginning of the flood season. Others in my family are managing the housework. My duty is here, and I have to be here with the local residents. It's heartbreaking to see once-bustling streets now full of debris and ruins," said Tian.
Adding to the rescue effort are militia members from neighboring Danzhai County, who have been deployed in Rongjiang for five days, despite the floods back home.
"Just half an hour ago, I got a message that my family is safe. They told me to stay safe, too. That's why we're holding the line. We must and we will," said Li Xianzhao from Danzhai's People's Armed Forces Department.
Since flooding began, Rongjiang, with a population of 385,000, has received prompt rescue efforts from both authorities and volunteers.
Thousands evacuated as floods hit southwest China county
