Guangxi Battles Floods and Faces Looming Storm Threat
Towns and villages in China’s Guangxi region are facing devastation after floodwaters surged downstream from neighboring Guizhou province, pushing river levels well beyond safety limits. As the waters spread across southwest China, a tropical depression is set to make landfall Thursday evening, raising fears of another round of flooding.
The Liu River, which begins in Guizhou, has carried the brunt of the overflow. Meilin township in Guangxi was hit the hardest, with floodwaters rising over 4 meters (13 feet) above the danger threshold, according to state media.
Floods Ripple Across Southwest China
The disaster began Tuesday, when torrential rains overwhelmed Rongjiang and Congjiang in Guizhou. The water has since surged into rural Guangxi, submerging homes and displacing families. By midweek, parts of Chongqing, Yunnan, and Sichuan were also placed on high alert for landslides, road collapses, and dam overflows.
Though runoff levels have started to recede in some areas, the region remains vulnerable. Professor Chen Xiaoguang, from the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, warned that rural communities face greater challenges due to weaker infrastructure and limited emergency resources.
“A Heavy Blow” in Rongjiang
Rongjiang, located at the meeting point of three rivers, suffered a once-in-50-years flood, according to Chinese meteorologists. With a population of about 300,000, the area was caught off guard by the sudden surge.
One section of the Liu River in Rongjiang reached a flow rate of 11,800 cubic meters per second—equivalent to nearly five Olympic-sized swimming pools per second. That’s more than 80 times the normal flow.
At least six people died, and many families lost everything.
“This flood is a heavy blow to us,” said a local resident, whose cake shop and delivery scooter were destroyed. “Our family just escaped poverty. This shop was our only income.”
Many displaced residents have taken shelter in local hotels, which are also hosting rescue teams and infrastructure workers, based on calls to over 10 hotels in downtown Rongjiang.
Local Workers Brace for a Long Recovery
According to Professor Chen, local water bureaus are working around the clock to monitor weather, reinforce defences, and simulate emergency drills. But the intensity and frequency of extreme weather are making their jobs increasingly difficult.
Professor Meng Gao from Hong Kong Baptist University pointed out that limited weather station coverage in remote areas hampers accurate forecasting, leaving many vulnerable communities without early warning.
New Storm Could Delay Recovery
As flood-hit regions begin to clear silt and restore utilities, the situation may worsen again. A tropical depression that first landed in Hainan and then Guangdong is expected to strike Guangxi later Thursday, threatening renewed floods, infrastructure damage, and further delays in recovery.
This comes just two weeks after Typhoon Wutip battered the same region.
Meteorologists link these frequent, intense weather events to climate change, which continues to challenge China’s emergency response systems and ageing flood control infrastructure.
Experts Urge Climate-Resilient Investments
“Climate change is making extreme weather more frequent and unpredictable,” said Professor Chen. “While China has made progress, more investment in early warning systems and resilient infrastructure is essential.”
Officials now face the urgent task of not only repairing the damage but also preparing for what may become the new normal.
Stay tuned to Maple Wire for the latest updates on climate impacts and disaster response across Asia.
