Several lives were lost and others are missing after a string of landslides threatened a town in Guangxi province, China, according to Xinhua News Agency reporting on Tuesday. Authorities said the disasters followed heavy rainfall and floods that drenched the region over the past two days.
In Yulin city, a landslide occurred late last night, with ongoing rainfall intensifying weather conditions across the region. The province continued to see heavy downpours during Sunday and Monday, triggering further terrain instability and multiple slides. Local emergency teams worked to assess affected areas and secure key routes for relief efforts.
Weather stations across the city recorded rainfall from the remnants of Typhoon Haikui surpassing 400 millimeters in several districts, a level that can loosen soil and push hillside material toward populated zones. The Provincial Hydrological Center reported that the primary tributaries of the Nanliu, Beiliu and Baisha rivers flooded between two and six meters. In addition, 17 other waterways rose above warning levels, cresting between 0.01 and 3.18 meters beyond typical boundaries. These hydrological shifts contributed to the rapid slope failures observed in the area.
Beyond Guangxi, rainfall has affected other southern Chinese locales, including Guangdong’s Canton region and Fujian province, as well as the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong. Some areas have logged rainfall totals reaching 600 millimeters, representing a substantial share of the region’s annual rainfall in a single weekend. Residents and officials have stressed the importance of staying away from unstable slopes, stream banks, and flood-prone zones as river levels continue to fluctuate.
Historically, summers in this part of China have been marked by intense rainfall events. The summers of 2021 and 2022 saw record-setting rain causing widespread flooding and months of drought further south, shaping a pattern of extreme weather that communities have had to adapt to. In the current season, meteorologists warn that continued moisture and regional storm systems may keep the risk of landslides elevated, especially in hilly districts where soil is already saturated and protective vegetation has been washed away. Local governments are reinforcing monitoring systems, issuing advisories, and organizing evacuation protocols to reduce risk to residents in affected towns and rural settlements. Authorities also emphasize the need for clear communication with the public, ensuring that communities receive timely alerts and access to safe shelters when landslide warnings are issued. As response efforts proceed, engineers and geologists are assessing vulnerable slopes and mapping safe routes for relief operations, while relief agencies stockpile essential supplies for rapid deployment.
In the wake of such events, residents are urged to heed official guidance, prepare emergency kits, and designate meeting points with family members in case of sudden evacuation. Community leaders stress that proactive planning can significantly lessen the impact of future slides, even as the meteorological picture remains variable. The situation in Guangxi and neighboring provinces underscores the complex interplay between extreme rainfall, riverine inundation, and hillside instability, a trio that continues to challenge disaster response teams across southern China. Investigations into the most affected zones are ongoing, with authorities promising updates as further data become available. The public is advised to monitor official channels for new advisories and to report any hazards observed in their neighborhoods. Attribution: Xinhua News Agency.