Authorities in the south of China reported on Thursday that 39 individuals lost their lives due to flooding caused by tropical storm Maysak, while Taiwan and the eastern coast of China are preparing for another significant storm set to arrive soon. The majority of the fatalities were a result of a dam breach in an area east of Nanning, claiming 26 lives, according to Ding Wei, the vice mayor of the city. Nine individuals are still missing in the wider Guangxi region.
Tropical storm Maysak brought unprecedented rainfall to Guangxi from last Saturday, leading to the overflow of reservoirs and leaving people stranded in their homes for days. The earlier death toll of six individuals has now risen to 39.
Typhoon Bavi is anticipated to skirt the northern edge of Taiwan, bringing heavy rainfall to the island with a population of 23 million, before making landfall in either Zhejiang or Fujian province on Saturday.
Authorities in Taiwan have advised residents to stock up on essentials and prepare for what may be the most potent typhoon to hit the island in recent years.
Torrential rain pounded southern Guangxi for an extended period, with some areas experiencing 10 to 40 centimeters of cumulative rainfall, and over 90 centimeters in severely affected regions, as reported by the national meteorological center.
The breaches in reservoirs unleashed torrents of water into towns and cities, necessitating a massive relief and rescue operation involving drones and around 5,700 boats to reach those trapped by the floods. Despite challenges like strong currents and debris, rescuers have evacuated approximately 130,000 individuals.
While the floodwaters are subsiding, there are forecasts of further rainfall in certain areas over the next two days. Efforts are underway to clear mud and debris, as well as sanitize several towns in the severely impacted Hengzhou city, located east of Nanning. Road restorations are in progress, and electricity has been reinstated in over 60,000 households, as per Ding’s statement.