China recently experienced its 10th typhoon of the year and the results of it have left the nation in a shocking state of catastrophe. Tropical Storm Maysak, initially brought days of extreme rainfall across the country’s southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous region. But now, the typhoon has triggered a massive flood that claimed two lives, affecting about 55,000 people in Nanning and forcing around 48,000 of the city’s residents to evacuate.Maysak has triggered multiple reservoir emergencies, increased river levels above warning levels and flooded several villages across Guangxi. In a clip going viral online, it also broke down the walls of a dam in the region. Authorities in Nanning have confirmed that the flooding killed two people late yesterday.The typhoon made landfall in the southern island province of Hainan on Friday, where flights and ferry services were suspended. On Saturday, it made a second landfall in Quang Ninh, Vietnam, which shares a border with Guangxi. On Monday morning, state broadcaster CCTV reported that the Guangxi Hydrological Centre issued an orange flood warning, the region’s second-highest alert level.The Yujiang River’s Nanning gauge will likely rise to about 71 meters around tomorrow, higher than the 69.4-meter alert level, the Nanning Hydrological Centre announced yesterday. Water at Hengzhou’s Liulan Reservoir reached 111.20 meters early yesterday, 0.91 meters above its designed flood level, with the Yunbiao Reservoir overtopping at the same time.Breaches and flooding were spotted at multiple reservoirs in the city of Hengzhou and Binyang county in the region. The Liulan Reservoir had to fully open its floodgates, while its dam developed a breach at 11 am yesterday, endangering downstream villages and towns. The collapse created a 50-metre (164-foot) gap in the structure, sending a massive torrent of water rushing downstream, the China Business Network reported.Videos going viral on social media showed a rush of muddy water engulfing fields and telephone poles. In the distance, some people on rooftops waved for help. More than a dozen DJI drones were deployed in the rescue effort to airdrop supplies and evacuate stranded residents. Another video showed a man pulled from floodwaters by a drone with a rope tied around his waist. Media reports quoted staff at the reservoir as saying that more than 300 people in the area had moved to higher ground. According to public information, the mid-sized reservoir was completed in 1960 and can hold 95.52 million cubic metres of water (3.37 billion cubic feet). It provides irrigation for 40 villages in four townships.Nanning officials have warned of further rainfall risk at a flood-relief briefing. The difficulty of the rescue effort and relocating affected residents means that the disaster could still worsen, they pointed out. Rail services in the region have also been affected. The China-Vietnam international passenger train T8701, departing Nanning for Gia Lam, Vietnam on Monday and the returning T8702 train travelling via the city of Pingxiang were suspended, according to China Railway Nanning Group.
Relief efforts are in process
Xiao Xiang, a resident of Fulong village in Hengzhou’s Yunbiao township said that her brother and uncle had been swept away by a sudden flood while riding an electric bike near the village yesterday morning. They are still missing. In the Wangzhuang village of the township, water rose to the second floor, forcing residents to retreat to the third floor and await rescue, revealed one resident.Guangxi has raised its flood-control emergency response for Nanning and Guigang to the highest Level I and its geological hazard response to Level III. The region’s maritime authority also raised its inland flood-control response to Level I, suspending operations at 201 ferry crossings, 371 passenger ferries, and 27 passenger routes.China’s Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Emergency Management allocated CNY160 million (USD23. 5 million) in advance disaster-relief funding to support Guangxi and five other provinces and regions, while also shipping 150,000 units of relief supplies.
