Floodwaters from China’s upstream Guizhou province have surged into the mountainous region of Guangxi, submerging towns and villages and raising fears of further destruction as a tropical cyclone approaches. The township of Meilin has been the worst-hit so far, with water levels rising over 4 meters above the safety mark, according to state media on Thursday.
This severe flooding began earlier in Guizhou’s Rongjiang and Congjiang cities on Tuesday, with the overflowing Liu River pushing the crisis downstream into Guangxi. Experts say the situation could worsen as a tropical depression, expected to make landfall later Thursday, threatens to bring even more rain to areas still struggling with recovery.
Authorities remain on high alert for secondary disasters like landslides, dam overflows, and road collapses. Rural areas face the most risk due to weak infrastructure and lack of monitoring systems. “Strengthening rural systems is key to reducing long-term disaster impacts,” said Professor Chen Xiaoguang of Southwestern University in Chengdu.
Earlier this week, Rongjiang city witnessed what meteorologists called a “once-in-50-years” flood. The Liu River’s flow rate surged to 11,800 cubic meters per second—over 80 times its average rate—destroying homes and businesses and killing at least six people. Many locals have taken shelter in hotels now filled with displaced families and rescue teams.
Meanwhile, officials and residents are racing to restore power, water, and telecom services. However, ongoing rain from the tropical depression—which first hit Hainan Island and later Guangdong province—may disrupt recovery efforts and lead to new flooding in the already devastated regions.
Experts continue to link these extreme weather events to climate change, warning that more frequent and intense floods could severely test China’s aging infrastructure. “Investment in forecasting and climate-resilient infrastructure is no longer optional—it’s urgent,” said Professor Chen.