Four people are dead and 10 others missing following storms that battered southern China, state media said Monday, with tens of thousands evacuated from areas hit by torrential downpours.

Guangdong Province

Deadly storms in southern China have claimed the lives of four individuals and left 10 others missing, as reported by state media. The region has faced severe weather conditions, leading to the evacuation of tens of thousands of inhabitants from areas affected by torrential rains. 

In the small town of Zhenguan, severe flooding has transformed the landscape into a river of mud, significantly disrupting the lives of its residents. The entire area is now without electricity, suffering from blocked traffic and communications. This disaster is part of a larger crisis impacting millions in Guangdong province, where continuous heavy rainfall since Thursday has wreaked havoc.

Guangdong, known as China's richest province, has faced an unprecedented level of rainfall, recording the highest monthly total since records began in 1959. The saturated waterways and landslides in mountainous regions have compounded the situation, leading to widespread devastation. In addition, Canton Tower in Guangzhou experienced a rare phenomenon, being struck by lightning six times within one hour.

The province's capital, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, a city renowned for its high-tech industries, are bracing for more storms and violent winds. Despite ongoing search and rescue efforts to reach those trapped and find the missing, the weather forecast suggests that the region will not see an improvement in conditions anytime soon.



Deadly southern China storms force mass evacuations

Zhenguan, enveloped by water, now a river of mud. This small town hit by flooding that has impacted millions of people in the southern province of Guangdong. The entire city has been disconnected from the electrical network. Traffic and communications are blocked. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from areas hit by torrential downpours. Search and rescue teams continue to aid those trapped and look for the missing. It has poured nearly non-stop since Thursday in Guangdong, battering China's richest province with unusually heavy, sustained and widespread rainfall. The waterways are saturated and in mountainous regions, the flooding has triggered devastating landslides. Lightning struck Canton Tower in Guangzhou six times in one hour. The province's capital recorded its highest monthly rainfall since record-keeping began in 1959. Storms and violent winds are expected today in Shenzhen, a city where a number of high-tech headquarters are located. And across the region, the weather forecast does not predict conditions to improve in the coming days.

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