Over 100,000 Evacuated in Deadly Flooding in Southern China

Authorities have evacuated 110,000 people from their homes in Guangdong Province in southern China after days of heavy rain caused massive flooding.

Transcript

00:00 Rescuers navigate through inundated streets,

00:03 attempting to reach people in Guangdong Province in southeastern China,

00:08 left stranded by major flooding.

00:10 Days of record-breaking rain in the region caused the banks of several major rivers to burst,

00:16 causing water levels to reach the highest the area has seen in half a century.

00:21 [River flowing]

00:25 The fast-moving water submerged dozens of homes,

00:28 collapsed bridges and caused landslides,

00:32 cutting off access to roads and major highways.

00:35 Over 100,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes,

00:39 as authorities search for 10 who are still missing.

00:43 Four people have been confirmed dead.

00:45 Farmers whose crops have been washed out by the deluge say their livelihoods have been destroyed.

00:51 [Speaking in Cantonese]

01:03 A bird's-eye view shows the extent of the damage to Guangdong,

01:07 one of China's most populated provinces with 127 million people.

01:13 With only treetops and roofs visible in the murky floodwater,

01:17 authorities estimate losses could total nearly US$20 million.

01:22 The region is prone to flooding,

01:24 but residents say this downpour is unusually heavy and began earlier than normal.

01:29 [Speaking in Cantonese]

01:42 Scientists say unseasonable extreme weather has become more intense and unpredictable

01:46 due to climate change and will only become worse,

01:50 sparking concerns about the region's ability to protect itself during future disasters.

01:56 Thunderstorms are expected to return to the region later this week,

02:00 but the downpour has now subsided,

02:03 allowing the water to begin draining as authorities continue the search for the missing.

02:08 Patrick Chen and Rosie Greninger for Taiwan Plus.

02:12 [BLANK_AUDIO]