Tsingyuan (agencies)
Residents affected by strong floods in southern China are racing against time to save their belongings before the torrential rains that local authorities warn about.
Since last Thursday, the southern province of Guangdong has been witnessing heavy rains, the repercussions of which killed four people and evacuated more than 100,000 residents.
The occurrence of large floods is not a normal occurrence at this time of the year in this lush subtropical region. It may be linked to the intensification of climate change, according to a high-ranking official.
The rainfall caused river levels to rise, and raised fears of floods “the likes of which only occur once in a century,” according to the authorities.
In the town of Chatang, the tourist area was damaged by rising water levels. Individuals and local government employees are helping to remove mud from the streets, according to media reports.
The authorities warned of new heavy rains in Guangdong province between yesterday evening, Wednesday, and tomorrow, Friday, as 240 millimeters of rain is expected to fall in several parts of the region, and rainfall may reach 300 millimeters in some locations. Officials also warned residents against spreading “rumors” about a shortage of some basic items or an increase in their prices.
A statement issued yesterday evening by the regional market regulatory authority said: “In order to strengthen the management of market prices during the flood season, please do not fabricate or publish information regarding an increase in prices, limitations in supply chains, or a significant increase in demand.”
About 127 million people live in Guangdong province, where tens of thousands of companies export their products abroad.
Many areas in the region have not witnessed floods of this magnitude since they began collecting data in this regard in the 1950s, according to official media.
Yin Jijie, a senior expert in the field of water science at the Ministry of Water Resources, said on China National Radio that “intensifying climate change” has increased the possibility of this type of precipitation, which usually only occurs in the summer.
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