China - Floods (Xinhua, media, CMA) (ECHO Daily Flash of 05 July 2023)

Heavy rainfall has been affecting northern, central and southern China, in particular the Chongqing Municipality, the Provinces of Sichuan, Henan, Hunan, Guizhou, Shaanxi and Yunan and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, since 2 July, causing severe floods and flash floods that have resulted in casualties and widespread damage.

Floods caused by torrential rains in the central province of Hunan have affected over 95,000 people, leaving over 14,000 homeless and destroying 70 houses. 85,000 people have been preventively evacuated across Sichuan Province.

According to media reports, as of 5 July 15 people have died, four persons are still missing and an unconfirmed number are displaced across the Chongqing Municipality, the worst affected area, in central China.

China has been witnessing unusual weather patterns, such as heavy rains in the south resulting in devastating floods and deadly mudslides and record-breaking temperatures in the north. Meteorologists have warned that extreme weather events such as floods, typhoons, and heat waves will continue throughout July.