Floods force thousands to leave homes in eastern China amid heavy rainfall

More than 10,000 people have been forced to leave their homes as a result of heavy rains that have swept across eastern China since Wednesday.

In total nearly 300,000 people have been affected the flooding in Jiangxi province.

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The China Meteorological Administration warned there would also be heavy rain, thunder and high winds across other parts of China, adding there was a risk of flooding and landslides in parts of Jiangxi, Fujian and Guangdong in the coming days.

Wan Qunzhi, an officer from the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, said that this year’s flood season had started relatively early.

“Although precipitation is low overall, its temporal and spatial distribution has been uneven, with floods and droughts happening at the same time. We are not very optimistic about the situation,” Wang told China Central Television.

The flood control headquarters has launched a level-IV emergency response in Jiangxi, the lowest level in a four-tier system.

In Yichun, one of the hardest hit cities, a dyke was breached early on Saturday and flooded four downstream villages, prompting an operation to rescue more than 200 residents.

Parts of Fuzhou city have seen over 250mm (10 inches) of rain within 24 hours since Friday, causing rivers to burst their banks and flooding farmland and urban areas.

By Saturday evening, dozens of houses had been damaged and 375 hectares of crops entirely wiped out, causing a direct economic loss of at least 230 million yuan (US$33 million), China National Radio reported.

Local governments were urged to step up their rescue efforts, carry out safety checks on major dykes and dams and ensure key infrastructure, such as long distance rail lines, was protected.

Chongqing in the southwest, the eastern province of Zhejiang and Taihu Lake in the Yangtze delta, one of the country’s largest freshwater lakes, are the latest regions to enter the flood season.

Forecasters have warned that the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, as well as the Hai and Songliao rivers in the north and Pearl River basin in the south are at risk of more frequent, and severe rainfall and floods this year.

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This year’s flood prevention plans prioritise early warning and preparation, Wan said. He told planners to keep an eye on risky sites such as reservoirs and hydropower stations, and make plans for early detection, reporting and responding to dangerous situations.

“Meanwhile, we need to transfer residents in advance to avoid potential casualties, and make sure that rescue forces are well organised to carry out fast, efficient rescue operations,” he said.