Torrential rains cause flooding in parts of eastern, central China

Heavy rainfall over the past several days has caused severe flooding and prompted emergency responses in parts of Jiangxi Province in east China and Hunan Province in central China.

Jingdezhen City in Jiangxi issued a red alert for heavy rain -- the highest level in China's four-tier weather warning system, as urban districts of Jingdezhen and southern areas of Fuliang County saw over 100 millimeters of rainfall within three hours. The downpour led to widespread waterlogging, with local authorities quickly mobilizing human resources to drain floodwaters from affected areas.

According to Fuliang County's meteorological bureau, from 08:00 on Monday to 08:00 on Tuesday, the county experienced heavy to torrential rainfall, averaging 75 millimeters across the region. The intense rainfall caused severe floodwater accumulation on several road sections in the county seat, disrupting traffic.

Emergency management, traffic police and city management staff rushed to affected locations, setting up warning signs, directing traffic, and clearing blocked drains to help water drainage. As of now, the floodwater has gradually receded and traffic is returning to normal.

In a related incident in Zhangshu City, Jiangxi, heavy rain led to deep floodwater buildup at a culvert, leaving a family of three stranded on the roof of their car after their vehicle stalled. Upon receiving an alert, local firefighters rushed to the scene, where they found the vehicle submerged. Using life jackets and safety equipment, the rescue crew first evacuated the child to safety and then helped the two adults out of danger.

Meanwhile, in Suining County, Hunan, heavy rainfall from 08:00 on Monday to 11:00 on Tuesday caused multiple hazards, including flooding that blocked major roads in Dongshan Township. Authorities set up warning signs and deployed personnel to lead vehicles and pedestrians to move safely away from submerged sections and to prevent potential accidents round the clock.

Efforts to accommodate affected residents are underway, and workers are gradually reopening cordoned-off roads as local life begins to return to normal.

The Ebola outbreak is continuing to outpace the response, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, Tedros said the Ebola outbreak centered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has so far resulted in 1,094 reported cases, including 277 deaths. Neighboring Uganda has also recorded 20 confirmed cases, including two deaths.

Despite efforts to scale up response measures and strengthen disease surveillance and detection capacities, significant challenges remain, Tedros said, warning that "the outbreak is continuing to outpace the response."

The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment, he said.

The DRC is facing its 17th Ebola outbreak, which was declared in mid-May. The outbreak has affected the eastern part of the country and spread to neighboring Uganda.