All-out rescue, relief efforts urged

President Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts on Tuesday in emergency rescue, medical treatment for the injured and the resettlement of affected people, after multiple regions were hit by severe flooding.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, also urged that every effort be made to safeguard people's lives and property while minimizing casualties and preventing secondary disasters.

Recent heavy rain and strong winds have caused dam breaches and landslides in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Hubei and Gansu provinces, resulting in heavy casualties and economic losses.

In the face of severe challenges posed by floods, Xi called on local governments and relevant departments to implement existing flood prevention measures, and thoroughly inspect and rectify potential hazards involving rivers, lakes, reservoirs and areas prone to geological disasters.

He also called for stronger monitoring, early warning and emergency preparedness, as well as solid disaster prevention and relief efforts.

Premier Li Qiang also urged authorities to strengthen monitoring of rainfall and flood conditions, improve hazard detection and early warning, and carry out emergency rescue and disaster relief with all-out efforts.

The Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee has allocated 60 million yuan ($8.8 million) from Party membership funds to support flood prevention and disaster relief efforts in five provincial-level regions.

Recent extreme weather has battered multiple regions across China, with record-breaking rainfall and landslides causing heavy casualties and widespread damage. Rescue operations continue as authorities race against time to save lives.

Typhoon Maysak, the 10th typhoon of this year, unleashed historically rare and prolonged torrential rains across the region, said Cai Yunge, executive vice-chairman of Guangxi.

Cai said the extreme weather had hit 63 counties and districts in Guangxi, with a total of 375,000 people affected. The death toll rose to six, with 11 others reported missing, while 130,000 residents had been urgently evacuated to safer ground as of Tuesday evening. Agricultural damage has been substantial, with approximately 12,900 hectares of crops destroyed, he added.

Huang Lu, deputy head of Nanning's emergency management bureau, said 1,343 personnel from the fire, police and health departments, supported by 106 vehicles and 38 boats, were carrying out rescue operations and epidemic prevention work.

Temporary shelters have been established at six locations across Hengzhou and stocked with drinking water, food, bedding and lighting supplies. Eleven temporary medical stations have also been set up to provide round-the-clock medical services, according to local authorities.

The armed police detachment in Nanning sent more than 160 personnel and 14 vehicles, along with rubber boats and communications equipment, to the disaster area.

After arriving in Yunbiao township of Hengzhou at 5:30 pm on Monday, rescuers found floodwaters in low-lying areas reaching depths of one meter. Some houses were submerged to the second floor, with water depths reaching up to three meters. An estimated 55,000 to 60,000 residents in the township were trapped, prompting urgent search and evacuation operations, the detachment said.

"We rushed to the site as soon as we got the order and carried out searches house by house — not a single person should be left behind," said Wei Hao, one of the deployed officers.

Zhang Shaoqing, another member of the armed police detachment, said that rain continued throughout the night, and their clothes never dried. "Honestly, we were numb after a while, but every time we carried someone out and they said thank you, we felt we could keep going," Zhang said.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the detachment had rescued and evacuated 306 people, delivered 1,500 relief supply items and provided on-site medical assistance to 56 people.

The National Development and Reform Commission allocated 100 million yuan from the central budget on Monday to support post-disaster restoration in Guangxi.

In Gansu, a landslide struck a village in Longnan at 6:56 am on Tuesday. As of 9 pm, rescuers had located 31 of the 33 people reported missing, five of whom died despite all efforts. Search operations continued.

In Hubei, severe convective weather — caused by the vertical movement of air driven by heat — swept across eastern parts of the province on Monday evening, bringing heavy rain, thunderstorms and tornadoes to some townships. As of Tuesday morning, the storms had affected 14,600 people, killing 11 and leaving one missing.

The extreme weather destroyed 22 homes and damaged another 4,855. Rescue and disaster relief efforts were proceeding in an orderly manner, while authorities continued to verify the extent of damage.

Local resident Qian Xiaobo, 38, said: "It was terrifying. This is the first time I've experienced such strong wind and rain. The roof was blown off, the second-floor walls were soaked, and all the glass on the first floor shattered."

His father was injured and was hospitalized, but his life was not in danger.

"I'll remain positive," Qian said.

Yu Hao, captain of the Huanggang fire and rescue brigade, said his unit received deployment orders at 11:15 pm on Monday and arrived at the scene in less than two hours. Roads were blocked, electricity was cut off and houses had collapsed, making rescue operations extremely difficult, he said.

They searched house by house. Despite the challenges, Yu said his team always puts people's safety first and has remained in good condition while pushing on despite fatigue.