China's Guangxi deluged by flood-waters from upstream province

26/6/2025 15:47

Towns and villages by a major river in China's Guangxi lay half-submerged as floodwaters from a province upstream roared into the mountainous region, with the expected landfall of a tropical cyclone later on Thursday compounding disaster risk.



The flooding that overwhelmed the cities of Rongjiang and Congjiang in Guizhou province on Tuesday has spread downstream to other parts of southwest China, including rural settlements in Guangxi by the Liu river, which originates from Guizhou.



The Guangxi township of Meilin was the worst-hit, state media reported on Thursday, with floodwaters at their peak more than 4 metres (13 feet) above what was considered safe.



Even as dangerous surface run-off began to recede, southwestern China - from Guizhou and Guangxi to Chongqing, Yunnan and Sichuan - remained on alert for secondary disasters such as road collapses, landslides and hydro-dam overflows.



"Rural areas face significant challenges due to limited infrastructure and resources," said Chen Xiaoguang, professor at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu.



"Strengthening these systems in rural counties will be key to reducing the long-term impact of increasingly severe weather."