August 8, 2025: Over the past 48 hours, China has been hit by a number of catastrophic natural disasters. At least 17 people have died and 33 others are missing because of mountain torrents and landslides. The most recent events, which took place in Gansu and Guangdong provinces, have caused the government to act quickly. President Xi Jinping has called for “all-out search and rescue efforts.”
Flash floods caused by heavy rain on Thursday have left a path of ruin in northwest Gansu province. The state-run Xinhua news agency said that 10 people have died and 33 are missing after flash floods devastated Yuzhong County. The severe rain, which dropped more than 220 mm of rain, caused flooding mixed with uprooted trees and mud to block roads and damage many homes and cars. In response, provincial governments have sent more than 2,700 rescue workers and thousands of emergency supplies to the areas that were hit.
In southern Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, a landslide caused by rain on Wednesday killed seven people and hurt seven more. The landslide, which happened in Dayuan Village in the Baiyun District, detained 14 people and damaged a number of dwellings. Local officials have confirmed that the search and rescue activities are over and that cleanup work is currently going on at the scene.
These events come after a terrible flood in Beijing two weeks ago that killed 44 people, 31 of whom were residents of a nursing facility. China is going through a tough time because of the recurring natural disasters. The government is working harder than ever to prevent and help with calamities.