Hainan evacuates over 42,000 as torrential rain batters island

More than 42,000 people had been evacuated from high-risk areas across Hainan province as of 8 am on Monday as torrential rain battered the island, with over 10 cities and counties suspending classes, according to local authorities.

Wuzhishan recorded 616.2 millimeters of rain in the 24 hours through Monday morning, the highest 24-hour rainfall recorded in the city's urban area since meteorological records began there in 1958, according to the Wuzhishan Media Center.

The downpours were triggered by the remnants of a tropical depression over the South China Sea combined with cold air, bringing heavy to torrential rain across most of Hainan and exceptionally heavy rain in some areas.

The provincial meteorological authority maintained a Level II rainstorm warning at 9:40 am on Monday. It forecast accumulated rainfall of 100 to 150 mm in eight cities and counties, including Baoting and Wuzhishan, from 10 am Monday to 8 am Tuesday, with more than 250 mm possible in some areas.

Authorities also issued an orange alert for rain-triggered geological disasters, the second-highest in the four-tiered system, in parts of six cities and counties, urging people at high-risk sites and areas to evacuate to designated shelters when instructed.

A yellow alert for flash floods was issued for parts of Sanya, Wuzhishan, Ledong, and Baoting, while lower-level risks were forecast in parts of several other areas.

Heavy rain also affected transportation. Sections of the S10 and S26 expressways and the tourist road around Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park were closed after hazards emerged amid the downpours.

Sanya, Wuzhishan, and Baisha were among the more than 10 cities and counties that had announced school suspensions as of Monday morning.