More than 55,000 people had been evacuated from at-risk areas in south China's Hainan Province as of 18:00 Monday, as heavy to torrential rain battered the island's central, eastern and southern regions.
Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County in the island province has experienced continuous heavy rains, triggering multiple landslides and collapses. Local authorities have actively relocated stranded residents and provided shelter for them.
Xiangshui Town in Baoting, a low-lying area, has withstood multiple landslides and collapses since Monday morning. Relevant departments immediately repaired roads and evacuated stranded residents, transferring those affected to eight temporary shelters.
As the landslides and collapses also caused power outages in parts of Baoting, power grid teams have been working around the clock to repair the infrastructure and resume electricity supply.
Triggered by heavy rains, a landslide took place near a tea factory in Xiangshui Town of Baoting early Monday morning, trapping six people.
Fire and rescue personnel were dispatched immediately to clear the roads and evacuate the trapped people, and all six were transferred to safety shortly.
With a nearby river swelling and flooding homes, rescue personnel swiftly moved residents out of low-lying areas to safe shelters. More than 800 people had been evacuated as of 10:00 Tuesday.
As the heavy rains eased on Tuesday, central, southern and southeastern parts of the province have started restoring normal operations and daily life.
Starting Tuesday morning, local authorities in Wuzhishan City have started clearing roads clogged with silt and sediment to restore regular traffic and get daily routines back on track soon.
Heavy rain lashes Hainan, 55,000 people evacuated
Restrictions on the import of engine lubricants and spare parts, coupled with fuel shortages, are placing immense strain on the energy supply for critical public services in Gaza Strip, including water supply, desalination, and healthcare, the United Nations warned on Monday.
The UN said that the ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza continue to result in civilian casualties.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that over the past weekend, Israeli military operations continued across the Gaza Strip, particularly in areas west of the temporary ceasefire line, the so-called "Yellow Line."
The UN emphasized that civilians, civilian infrastructure, humanitarian personnel, and supplies must always be protected.
United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) reported that over the past week, nine children were killed in Gaza, and a pregnant woman and her unborn child were shot and killed. In addition, at least 13 children were injured in the conflict.
Meanwhile, the energy supply on which Gaza's critical public services depend is facing mounting pressure.
The UN said that water pumping stations, desalination facilities, medical services, and food distribution currently rely on backup generators and transportation systems. However, the entry of engine lubricants and spare parts into Gaza is restricted, and there is a severe shortage of funds needed to purchase fuel.
According to information gathered by the UN, since March of this year, Israeli authorities have approved only about 13,500 liters of engine lubricant to enter Gaza, while more than 92,000 liters are pending approval.
"Without urgent approvals for engine oil and spare parts, people's access to safe water could worsen even further. Sewage systems could fail if pumping systems shut down and uncollected waste could build up again," Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters on Monday.
Critical public services under strain due to fuel shortage in Gaza: UN
