Torrential rains claim eight lives in southern China’s Guangdong province
Meteorological department forecasts heavy downpour in southern China over the weekend
At least eight people were killed and four reported missing in Maoming city, Guangdong province, as rain lashed the mainland’s south and west.
The National Meteorological Centre forecast torrential rain in Guangdong, Hainan, Fujian and Yunnan and on Saturday issued a blue alert – the lowest on its four-tier system – for heavy rain in the mainland’s south over the weekend. Parts of these provinces would experience rainfall of between 100 and 130 millimetres within 24 hours, it said.
The National Flood Control and Drought Relief Command Centre said Sichuan, Guizhou and Chongqing would experience rainstorms until Tuesday. It warned the downpour could cause flooding, landslides and mudslides.
Guangdong suffered severe flooding and landslides and the downpour affected more than 550,000 people from 23 towns in Maoming city. The rains caused massive flight delays and cancellations at airports in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai.
Flight schedules at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport gradually returned to normal as weather improved after the cancellation of more than 360 flights on Friday.
Shenzhen Baoan International Airport said operations were largely normal yesterday, after more than 100 flights at the airport were cancelled on Friday. At Jinwan airport, about 50 flights were cancelled on Friday and 18 were delayed.
In Jiangxi, more than 280,000 people from 11 counties were affected, with floods houses and farmland and forcing many people to leave their homes.
In the southern province of Jiangxi, more than 280,000 people from 11 counties were affected, with floods houses and farmland and forcing many people to leave their homes.
