Published On 9/7/2026
On Thursday, authorities in southern China announced the death of 39 people as a result of floods that followed a tropical storm during which heavy rain fell, while Taiwan and the Chinese eastern coast are preparing for a hurricane expected to hit land in the coming days.
Most of the deaths occurred in the city of Hengzhou, where a partial collapse of a reservoir dam caused torrential torrents to flow into the city, killing 26 people, according to what Ding Wei, deputy mayor of Nanning Municipality – in which the region is located – said in a press conference. 9 people are still missing in Guangxi region.
Last Saturday, Tropical Storm Maysak brought record rains to Guangxi Province in southern China, overflowing reservoirs and isolating residents for several days in their homes and other buildings. The number of victims announced last Tuesday was 6 people.
Stay tuned
There is also a second storm, Typhoon Bavi, which is still at sea, and that storm is expected to pass directly north of Taiwan, bringing heavy rains to the island with a population of 23 million people, and to make landfall in Zhejiang or Fujian provinces on Saturday.
The National Meteorological Center reported that heavy rains exceeding expectations swept southern Guangxi for several days, and the amount of accumulated rain ranged between 10 and 40 centimeters (4 to 16 inches) in some areas, and more than 90 centimeters (35 inches) in the most affected areas.
Rescue teams are still working to extract more than 10,000 students and teachers trapped in schools in Guigang City, northeast of Hengzhou, today.
Animals in danger
Some animals were also trapped or swept away by the rising floodwaters, as a zoo in Goigang announced the loss of more than 100 animals, including two zebras, four hedgehogs, and dozens of tropical birds.
In Hengzhou, news of the presence of snakes on a farm prompted the authorities to store large quantities of anti-venom and educate residents on how to behave if they encounter a snake.
An animal welfare organization in Binyang County, northwest of Hengzhou, faced great difficulty during the past days in rescuing about 200 cats and dozens of dogs, as the dogs were transported two by two across a strong current. The cats climbed into the rafters as the water level rose.
rescue
As part of the rescue operations, drones and about 5,700 boats were used in a large-scale relief and rescue operation to reach people trapped in the water, as rescuers battle strong currents and debris to reach people. About 130,000 people have been evacuated.
Ding pointed out that the flood waters have begun to recede, but more rain is expected in some areas during the next two days. Teams have been deployed to remove mud and debris and disinfect several towns in Hengzhou. Ding said road repair work is underway, and electricity has been restored to more than 60,000 homes.
