Rongjiang county in south-western China’s Guizhou province was struck by two major floods within a week, leaving six people dead and forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate.
The first flood peaked on 24 June, with provincial authorities declaring a Level I emergency response, the highest possible. Then on the afternoon of 28 June, another flood struck, sweeping through nearly half of Rongjiang’s county seat, the town of Guzhou, in one hour, a witness told Yangcheng Evening News. The floods forced nearly 42,000 residents to flee, mostly in Guzhou.
Rongjiang county is located near the confluence of three rivers – the Pingyong, Zhaihao and Duliu – making it relatively flood-prone, CCTV noted. The broadcaster added that Rongjiang’s dikes had been able to shield Guzhou’s urban area during previous floods, but this year’s rainfall proved too much. Starting 18 June, the county experienced six consecutive days of heavy-to-torrential rain – equivalent to half a year of rainfall in one week, The Paper reported.
Experts say the disasters expose the lack of extreme weather preparedness among China’s smaller cities.
Large and medium cities have progressively managed floods and water drainage through capacity upgrades, the development of “sponge cities” using green flood-prevention infrastructure, and urban renewal projects, flood control expert Hou Jingming, a professor at Xi’an University of Technology, told Sanlian Life Weekly. He also noted that county-level flood management capabilities require significant improvement, with poor drainage network planning, along with low accuracy and lateness of flood forecasts giving emergency personnel little time to prepare.
Recent research from Beijing Normal University’s School of National Security and Emergency Management found that poorer counties in China face significantly higher odds of experiencing record-breaking extreme weather events. The authors recommend that authorities urgently strengthen disaster resilience infrastructure and mechanisms.
The authors also note that economically disadvantaged counties in western China will be more likely to face threats of high temperatures and drought, and should accelerate reservoir construction and improve irrigation and soil conservation to enhance drought resistance among crops. Meanwhile, the research finds that poorer counties in the east, which face a higher risk of compound flooding and heatwaves, should focus on improving flood defences and capabilities for handling torrential rain and flooding.
Read Dialogue Earth’s previous analysis of how China’s northern floods show a need for a climate adaptation strategy.