A torrential downpour in central China’s Hubei province has triggered the evacuation of more than 18,000 people, after the city of Xianfeng received over a month’s worth of rain within just 12 hours. Local footage showed cars swept away by muddy torrents in the city of 300,000 as more than 350 mm (14 inches) of rain fell overnight Monday.
In response, authorities suspended bus services, shut down schools, and reported disruptions to the water and power supply.
Chinese meteorologists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of such extreme weather to climate change, especially in mountainous and rural areas where forecasting remains limited. “Accurately forecasting heavy rain remains difficult, particularly with the effects of climate change and the complex terrain,” said Meng Gao, a climate modelling expert at Hong Kong Baptist University.
Elsewhere in central China, three people died and five went missing following floods in Henan province, while Guizhou province also suffered deadly floods last week, displacing tens of thousands.
Reuters/s.s