A series of devastating storms, including tornadoes and typhoons, has claimed almost a dozen lives, injured hundreds and caused destruction in China. The situation remains tense as Super Typhoon Bavi approaches.
Image: Cao Yiming/Xinhua/AP Photo/picture alliance
Escaping with their lives: Soldiers bring people to safety in the Guangxi region in southern China. On Monday, a dam failure at the Liulan reservoir in Hengzhou left an entire area submerged. According to the latest official figures, four people lost their lives and eight are missing. Tens of thousands were evacuated.
Image: cnsphoto/REUTERS
Earlier Typhoon Maysak brought heavy rainfall, seen here over Nanning, the capital of Guangxi. Videos circulating on social media showed flash flooding. Several regions across China grappled with heavy rain, landslides and severe storms, including typhoons and tornadoes.
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In Tanchang county, located in the mountainous Gansu province of western China, heavy rainfall triggered a massive landslide that swept away 33 people. State media reported that 16 are still missing while 17 have been rescued.
Image: Chen Bin/Xinhua/picture alliance
Disaster relief authorities in the central Chinese province of Hubei reported at least 11 deaths and one other person missing, according to Chinese state media. At least 275 people were injured. Violent storms, including tornadoes, such as this one (pictured) in the city of Ezhou, struck the region overnight into Tuesday. Hundreds of residents were brought to safety.
Image: Social Media/REUTERS
Cleaning up after the disaster: Tornadoes also caused severe damage in Huanggang city. With wind speeds of up to 149 kilometers per hour, the twisters tore roofs off buildings and overturned cars. Tornadoes are considered extremely rare in Hubei, a key industrial and technological region. The last one occurred here in May 2021.
Image: Wu Zhizun/Xinhua/picture alliance
The situation is likely to remain tense as Typhoon Bavi heads from the Pacific toward southeastern China. The tropical storm, currently classified as a super typhoon with peak wind speeds well over 200 kilometers an hour, could make landfall in Taiwan on Saturday morning (local time). It is expected to reach eastern China in the afternoon.
Image: cnsphoto/REUTERS
China frequently experiences severe flooding during the summer. This year, meteorologists anticipate an increased risk of extreme weather due to the El Nino climate phenomenon. In recent years the rain belt has shifted further north, causing regions that are typically dry to experience extreme rainfall, such as Beijing, which has already been hit by violent thunderstorms.
Image: Imaginechina/Sipa USA/picture alliance
Widespread flooding in Hengzhou, southern China: According to experts, the world’s second-largest economy is increasingly affected by extreme weather events linked to climate change. These events cause annual economic losses amounting to tens of billions of dollars, disrupt industry and destroy crops.
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