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China: Floods - Jul 2018

Status
Past
Countries
China
Disaster types
Flood

Heavy and continuous rainfall since 7 July 2018 has caused flooding in most parts of Sichuan and the southeast region of Gansu Province. In some areas of North Central Sichuan, there have been heavy rainstorms and torrential rains for four consecutive days. These were also compounded by the effects of two weather systems in the area; Typhoon Prapiroon, and Typhoon Maria. According to reports from National Disaster Reduction Commission, as of 13 July 2018, floods have affected 1,381,000 people, where 3 persons have died; 222,000 have taken emergency resettlement; 22,000 needed emergency relief in Sichuan prefectures of Deyang, Mianyang, Guangyuan (that includes 15 cities and 70 counties); more than 900 houses have collapsed, and 29,000 houses have been damaged. A total of 36,900 hectares of crops have been affected by the floods and 5,200 hectares will have no harvests this year. The direct economic loss has been estimated to be over 5.3 billion yuan. Gansu province was hit even harder, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management. A heavy rainstorm occurred in Southeast Gansu from 10 to 11 July 2018. The provinces of Tianshui, Zhangye, Pingliang (including 10 cities and 46 counties) are flooded, and have affected 1,519,000 people where 12 have died; four are missing; and 30,000 were evacuated. More than 2,300 houses collapsed, and 19,000 were damaged to varying degrees. The direct economic loss was 3.6 billion Yuan. On 12 July 2018, the Provincial Disaster Reduction Commission selected four technical persons and two satellite commanding vehicles - carrying unmanned aerial vehicles and 4G communications equipment - to collect unmanned aerial vehicle remote sensing data with the working group. According to this rapid assessment, heavy rainfall has resulted in a large number of seriously damaged houses that have continued to collapse in these two provinces. More rain has been falling over the past week, worsening the flood situation. The flooding season will continue until the end of August and more rain can be expected until then. (IFRC, 17 Jul 2018)

China Meteorological Administration activated a level three emergency response to address Typhoon Ampil. It is required that the relevant meteorological sectors attached to CMA enter the emergency position immediately and put corresponding meteorological services in place. The potential affected areas such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Anhui are expected to sustain or adjust the corresponding emergency state according to local realities. (Gov't of China, 20 Jul 2018)

On 22 July, National Meteorological Center reported that Typhoon Ampil has made landfall at the coastal regions of Chongming Island, Shanghai. The maximum wind intensity at the center registered 28 m/s. The minimum air pressure registered 985 pHa. (Gov't of China, 22 Jul 2018)

In northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, more than 5,200 residents have been evacuated as torrential rain has battered Helan Mountain since 22 July. The maximum rainfall during this period reached 277.6 millimeters in Helan Mountain, and floods have formed in the eastern areas at the foot of the mountain. In north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, floods triggered by torrential rain have left 12 people dead and three others missing as of 23 July. The regional meteorological observatory has issued a red alert for rainstorms, warning that rainfall will continue in the following days and may cause floods and landslides in cities and towns. The water level in the section of Lanzhou, the capital city of northwest China's Gansu Province, along the Yellow River, has risen rapidly due to heavy rain. (Gov't of China, 23 Jul 2018)

On 31 July, twenty people died in floods caused by torrential rain in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Another eight people remain missing after the downpours hit Qincheng Township in Hami according to the regional disaster relief headquarters. Over 5,500 residents have been evacuated and provided with tents, daily necessities and medical treatment in temporary relocation sites. (Gov't of China, 3 Aug 2018)

On 18 August, nearly 260,000 residents in central China's Henan Province have been affected by Typhoon Rumbia. According to provincial civil affairs department, no casualties have been reported, but 259,000 people and nearly 20,000 hectares of crops have been affected and 138 houses damaged. (Xinhua, 19 Aug 2018)

Emergency responses have been launched in Shandong and Anhui following rainstorms and floods caused by Typhoon Rumbia. Chinese government has allocated flood relief materials to Shandong and Anhui provinces to help with disaster relief. As of 23 August, some 2.6 million people in Anhui had been affected by floods, with 12 dead and one missing, while about 3.8 million people in Shandong had been affected, with six dead and 15 missing. (Xinhua, 23 Aug 2018)

The death toll from a flood and a mudflow that hit southwest China's Yunnan Province has risen to eight, with the bodies of three victims recovered on Wednesday, according to the local rescue headquarters. The rain-triggered disasters that happened in Mengdong Township, Malipo County, on Sunday have also left seven others injured, the headquarters said. Fifteen people were previously reported missing in the disasters. On Wednesday, one more missing case was reported. As of 6 p.m. Wednesday, the disasters had affected the lives of 52,000 residents, damaging over 4,200 households and 1,800 hectares of farmland, according to Liu Yang, the county's Party chief. (Xinhua, 5 Sep 2018)