Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes in China after the heaviest torrential rains in decades led to floods and landslides, state media reports.
More than 200,000 people have been evacuated in Guangdong province during the rainy season, according to local authorities. In the province of Fujian, more than 220,000 people have been forced to leave since the beginning of June, according to the state news agency New China.
In total, nearly 480,000 people have been affected by the torrential rains in various ways, according to the authorities.
People huddled on camping beds in schools that have become temporary shelters in Guangdong province and hundreds of tents set up on a sports field can be seen in photos distributed by state media.
The pictures also show muddy water flooding cities and rescue workers evacuating residents in rubber boats.
The torrential rain has led to a flood in the area around the Pearl River in recent days, which threatens companies that in many cases have already been exposed to great stress during the corona pandemic and the country’s strict zero covid policy.
In Guangdong, Fujian and Guangxi provinces, the average rainfall was 621 millimeters between early May and mid-June. It is the highest rating since 1961, according to the China Meteorological Agency.