Local emergency teams, firefighters, and military units have been deployed to carry out urgent rescue and relief operations as torrential rain has continued to batter south China's Guangdong Province, causing severe flooding across cities including Shenzhen, Dongguan, Qingyuan, and Huizhou.
Numerous residents evacuated from inundated homes, industrial parks, and villages. In response to the worsening disaster, China's National Commission for Disaster Reduction, on Wednesday, activated a Level IV emergency response to assist Guangdong’s flood relief efforts.
Most parts of Guangdong have experienced prolonged heavy rainfall, with some areas recording extreme precipitation.
According to Weather China website, 15 state-level meteorological stations across the province have registered over 250 mm of rainfall, while the accumulated precipitation surpassed 400 mm, in cities of Lufeng and Shanwei, and even exceeded 600 mm at some stations in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Huizhou in just three days.
Flash flooding struck an industrial park in Dongguan City on Tuesday, trapping six residents on a rooftop as floodwaters engulfed their homes.
Firefighters used their own bodies as steps on a sloped wall to help the trapped individuals move safely into a rubber boat for evacuation.
Severe flooding hit parts of Qingyuan City, particularly Laoliao Village in Qingcheng District, where residents — including children and the elderly — were trapped by rising waters. Firefighters used rubber boats to reach and rescue the stranded. All the 15 villagers were safely relocated.
Shenzhen has been hit by several rounds of torrential rain since Aug 2. Pingshan's Dashuiwan area was particularly affected, with floodwaters submerging vehicles and cutting off access. Rescuers used inflatable boats to evacuate stranded residents in batches.
The torrential rain also submerged vehicles, flooded schools, and inundated underground garages in Huizhou City.
The 74th Group Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, which were conducting training nearby, responded quickly to assist and helped reinforce a dam at Wangyaogang section of the Danshui River, where embankment breaches threatened nearby communities.
Recuse operations underway amid persistent torrential rain
