Deadly Floods Batter China As Super Typhoon Threat Looms

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

BEIJING (Worthy News) – China faced mounting challenges Wednesday after flooding killed at least 17 people and injured hundreds in the country’s south and center, while scientists warned the devastation could spread to other provinces with the approach of Super Typhoon Bavi.

As rescue workers raced to search for survivors, some scientists warned that “extreme weather” is likely to become more frequent this year, while others argued that rapid urbanization in flood-prone areas, inadequate infrastructure, and other factors have also contributed to the scale of the disaster

The expected weather systems are set to test the resilience of densely populated cities and rural communities across the world’s second-largest economy, home to more than 1.4 billion people.

China’s National Climate Center expects up to six typhoons to form in the Northwest Pacific and South China Sea this month, well above the average of 3.8. Up to three are forecast to make landfall, compared with the usual 1.8, while forecasters warned this year’s storms are likely to be stronger than normal.

The latest disaster began after Typhoon Maysak swept across southern China, triggering widespread flooding, landslides, thunderstorms, and rare inland tornadoes.

THOUSANDS DISPLACED

State media said more than 130,000 people have been evacuated and hundreds of thousands affected. In Guangxi province, floodwaters submerged homes after rivers burst their banks and reservoir dams failed, leaving many residents stranded on rooftops awaiting rescue.

“The floods happened so rapidly, the water just came so fast. The villagers didn’t have time to take food with them when they were running away,” a resident identified only by her surname, Zhou, told reporters.

Another resident, Huang, said floodwaters engulfed her village within minutes. “We simply couldn’t rescue everyone in time. There were too few rescue personnel, and the lifeboats they brought were too small,” she said, adding that many families had also lost electricity and communications.

Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered what state media described as “all-out” rescue and relief operations, urging authorities to treat the injured, relocate displaced residents, and strengthen disaster prevention efforts.

SUPER TYPHOON APPROACHES

Authorities also warned that continued heavy rain could hamper rescue operations as rivers remain swollen and reservoirs stay under pressure.

The warning came as Super Typhoon Bavi, packing sustained winds of more than 290 kilometers (180 miles) per hour, was forecast to approach China’s eastern coast later this week, raising fears of renewed flooding, landslides, and further loss of life.

Benjamin Horton, dean of the School of Energy and Environment at City University of Hong Kong, warned that increasingly destructive weather events leave little time for communities to recover.
“The magnitude of the events is increasing, and there is no time to recover and become resilient,” he said, warning that more powerful cyclones could bring unprecedented rainfall, flooding, and crop damage later this year.

Whether driven primarily by climate change or rapid development in vulnerable areas, the latest disasters underscored China’s growing struggle to cope with increasingly destructive weather as millions brace for another powerful storm.

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