Flash floods sweeps away campers while falling debris kills two at beer festival as deadly storms continue to wreak havoc in China
The banks of a river running through the grasslands of Inner Mongolia burst at around 10pm on Saturday, washing away 13 campers on the outskirts of Bayannur, a key agricultural hub.
A search and rescue operation involving more than 700 people is underway, according to state news agency Xinhua. One person has been rescued.
Bayannur is an important national grain and oil production base, as well as a sheep breeding and processing centre.
China has faced weeks of extreme weather since July, with heavier-than-usual monsoon downpours stalling over the north and south of the country.
In the southwestern province of Sichuan, 'severe weather' on Friday killed two people and injured three others at a beer festival in the city of Mianzhu, after a truss fell on them, according to a local police report issued on Saturday.
At the other end of the country, a three-and-a-half-month fishing suspension in the southern province of Hainan ended on Saturday, state media reported, after agricultural affairs officials ordered ships to shelter in port owing to persistent, heavy rain.
The deluge in Inner Mongolia follows a deadly downpour in Beijing - just under 1,000km away - late last month which killed at least 44 people and forced the evacuation of more than 70,000 residents.
Northern China has also seen several instances of flash flooding and landslides in recent weeks.
Deluges in the northwestern Gansu province earlier this month left at least 10 people dead and 33 missing.
Heavy rains have also battered other parts of the country, with Hong Kong seeing historic downpours.
The central government announced last week £44million in fresh funding for disaster relief, taking the total allocated since April to at least £596million.
It comes after last weekend at least 15 people died after flash floods devastated parts of China.
The floods destroyed homes and roads, and left dozens of people missing.
Aerial footage from Yuzhong County in China's northwestern Gansu province showed the extent of the devastation.
Workers were called in to try and repair towns where the infrastructure had been ruined.
Some of the men were seen slipping in the mud that as they walk through piles of huge stones moved by the huge flow of water.
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged all-out rescue and flood prevention efforts.
The villages of Maliantan and Xinyaowanshe were nearly obliterated by the huge power of the water.
One witness likened the floods to 'a train roaring through the mountains' as the sound of crashing boulders came through their village, 24 Brussels reported.
The area of Xinglongshan, popular among hikers and outdoor enthusiasts was also covered by one metre of mud, cutting off access to walking routes.
Entire communities were reportedly cut off after more than 100km of road became impassible and five bridges were destroyed.
Some 37 villages were plunged into darkness after around seven power lines were damaged.
More than 2,500 homes were left damaged or destroyed as a result of the flooding
Rescuers told local media they were working 'around the clock' to support some of the most isolated communities, adding 'every hour counts when lives are at stake'.
Local media also reported that workers manage to rescue a dog which had been trapped under mud for over 30 hours.
Owing to the 'frequent occurrence of extreme weather,' Xi ordered all regions to 'resolutely overcome complacency' while increasing efforts to identify risks.
Weather experts link the shifting pattern to climate change, testing officials as flash floods displace thousands and threaten billions of dollars in economic losses.
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The Independent
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- The Independent
Cloudbursts are causing chaos in parts of India and Pakistan. Here's what they are
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Here's what to know about cloudbursts: They are complex and extreme weather events A cloudburst occurs when a large volume of rain falls in a very short period, usually more than 100 millimeters (about 4 inches) within an hour over a localized area, around 30 square kilometers (11.6 square miles). Cloudbursts are sudden and violent, with devastating consequences and widespread destruction, and can be the equivalent of several hours of normal rainfall or longer. The event is the bursting of a cloud and the discharge of its contents at the same time, like a rain bomb. Several factors contribute to a cloudburst, including warm, moist air rising upward, high humidity, low pressure, instability and convective cloud formation. Moist air is forced to rise after encountering a hill or mountain. This rising air cools and condenses. Clouds that are large, dense and capable of heavy rainfall form. Hills or mountains act like barriers and often trap these clouds, so they cannot disperse or move easily. Strong upward currents keep moisture suspended inside the clouds, delaying rainfall. When the clouds cannot hold the accumulated moisture anymore, they burst and release it all at once. India and Pakistan have ideal conditions Cloudbursts thrive in moisture, monsoons and mountains. Regions of India and Pakistan have all three, making them vulnerable to these extreme weather events. The Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountain ranges are home to the world's highest and most famous peaks, spanning multiple countries including India and Pakistan. The frequency of cloudbursts in these two South Asian nations has been steadily rising due to a warming atmosphere, because a warmer air mass can hold more moisture, creating conditions for sudden and intense downpours. The South Asian region has traditionally had two monsoon seasons. 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Asfandyar Khan Khattak, a Pakistani official from the northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said there was 'no forecasting system anywhere in the world' that could predict the exact time and location of a cloudburst. The Pakistani government said that while an early warning system was in place in Buner district, where hundreds of people died after a cloudburst, the downpour was so sudden and intense that it struck before residents could be alerted. Community organization SOST, which is also the name of a border village in Pakistan's northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, says precautions are possible. It advises people to avoid building homes right next to rivers and valleys, to postpone any travel to hilly areas if heavy rain is forecast, to keep an emergency kit ready, and to avoid traveling on mountainous roads during heavy rain or at night. It recommends afforestation to reduce surface runoff and enhance water absorption, and regular clearing and widening of riverbanks and drainage channels. Climate change is fueling their frequency Experts say cloudbursts have increased in recent years, partly due to climate change, while damage from associated storms has also increased due to unplanned development in mountain areas. Climate change has directly amplified the triggers of cloudbursts in Pakistan, especially. Every 1°C rise allows the air to hold about 7% more moisture, increasing the potential for heavy rainfall in short bursts. The warming of the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea pushes more moisture into the atmosphere. Melting glaciers and snow alter local weather patterns, making rainfall events more erratic and extreme. Environmental degradation, in the form of deforestation and wetland loss, reduces the land's ability to absorb water, magnifying flash floods. 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Reuters
a day ago
- Reuters
Northern China flash flood kills 10, Xinhua reports
BEIJING, Aug 17 (Reuters) - At least 10 people died in a flash flood in northern China, state media reported on Sunday, with two others still missing, as the East Asian monsoon continues to unleash atmospheric chaos across the world's second-largest economy. The banks of a river running through the grasslands of Inner Mongolia burst at around 10 p.m. (1400 GMT) on Saturday, the report said, washing away 13 people camping on the outskirts of the city of Bayannur, a major agricultural hub. A search and rescue operation involving more than 700 people is underway, according to state news agency Xinhua. One person has been rescued. China has suffered weeks of extreme weather since July, battered by heavier-than-usual downpours with the monsoon stalling over its north and south. Weather experts link the shifting pattern to climate change, testing officials as flash floods displace thousands and threaten billions of dollars in economic losses. Bayannur is an important national grain and oil production base, as well as a sheep breeding and processing centre. At the other end of the country, a three-and-a-half-month fishing suspension in the southern province of Hainan ended on Saturday, state media reported, after agricultural affairs officials ordered ships to shelter in port owing to persistent, heavy rain. In the southwestern province of Sichuan, severe weather on Friday killed two people and injured three others at a beer festival in the city of Mianzhu, after a truss fell on them, according to a local police report on Saturday. The deluge in Inner Mongolia follows a deadly downpour in Beijing - just under 1,000 km (621 miles) away - late last month which killed at least 44 people and forced the evacuation of more than 70,000 residents. The central government announced last week 430 million yuan ($59.9 million) in fresh funding for disaster relief, taking the total allocated since April to at least 5.8 billion yuan.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Flash floods sweeps away campers while falling debris kills two at beer festival as deadly storms continue to wreak havoc in China
At least eight people have lost their lives in devastating flash flooding that has ravaged parts of China, with four others still missing after two died at a recent beer festival. The banks of a river running through the grasslands of Inner Mongolia burst at around 10pm on Saturday, washing away 13 campers on the outskirts of Bayannur, a key agricultural hub. A search and rescue operation involving more than 700 people is underway, according to state news agency Xinhua. One person has been rescued. Bayannur is an important national grain and oil production base, as well as a sheep breeding and processing centre. China has faced weeks of extreme weather since July, with heavier-than-usual monsoon downpours stalling over the north and south of the country. In the southwestern province of Sichuan, 'severe weather' on Friday killed two people and injured three others at a beer festival in the city of Mianzhu, after a truss fell on them, according to a local police report issued on Saturday. At the other end of the country, a three-and-a-half-month fishing suspension in the southern province of Hainan ended on Saturday, state media reported, after agricultural affairs officials ordered ships to shelter in port owing to persistent, heavy rain. The deluge in Inner Mongolia follows a deadly downpour in Beijing - just under 1,000km away - late last month which killed at least 44 people and forced the evacuation of more than 70,000 residents. Northern China has also seen several instances of flash flooding and landslides in recent weeks. Deluges in the northwestern Gansu province earlier this month left at least 10 people dead and 33 missing. Heavy rains have also battered other parts of the country, with Hong Kong seeing historic downpours. The central government announced last week £44million in fresh funding for disaster relief, taking the total allocated since April to at least £596million. It comes after last weekend at least 15 people died after flash floods devastated parts of China. The floods destroyed homes and roads, and left dozens of people missing. Aerial footage from Yuzhong County in China's northwestern Gansu province showed the extent of the devastation. Workers were called in to try and repair towns where the infrastructure had been ruined. Some of the men were seen slipping in the mud that as they walk through piles of huge stones moved by the huge flow of water. Chinese President Xi Jinping urged all-out rescue and flood prevention efforts. The villages of Maliantan and Xinyaowanshe were nearly obliterated by the huge power of the water. One witness likened the floods to 'a train roaring through the mountains' as the sound of crashing boulders came through their village, 24 Brussels reported. The area of Xinglongshan, popular among hikers and outdoor enthusiasts was also covered by one metre of mud, cutting off access to walking routes. Entire communities were reportedly cut off after more than 100km of road became impassible and five bridges were destroyed. Some 37 villages were plunged into darkness after around seven power lines were damaged. More than 2,500 homes were left damaged or destroyed as a result of the flooding Rescuers told local media they were working 'around the clock' to support some of the most isolated communities, adding 'every hour counts when lives are at stake'. Local media also reported that workers manage to rescue a dog which had been trapped under mud for over 30 hours. Owing to the 'frequent occurrence of extreme weather,' Xi ordered all regions to 'resolutely overcome complacency' while increasing efforts to identify risks. Weather experts link the shifting pattern to climate change, testing officials as flash floods displace thousands and threaten billions of dollars in economic losses.
