Severe Weather Toll Rises in China as Tropical Storm Sweeps Through South and Vietnam

Heavy rainfall has claimed five lives in northern China, while a powerful tropical storm has caused widespread destruction, toppling trees and flooding streets in the southern regions, according to state media reports on Sunday.

In the eastern portion of Inner Mongolia, a flash flood in a mountainous area left two villagers dead on Saturday evening. According to the Xinhua News Agency, one individual drowned while herding cattle, and another was swept away while attempting to move the herd to safety.

Further southeast in Liaoning province, three additional fatalities were reported in Fushun city. While specific details regarding those deaths were not released, the region was battered by a severe rainstorm that dropped up to 32.9 centimeters (13 inches) of rain in some areas. Social media footage depicted city streets completely submerged, and local authorities were forced to evacuate approximately 3,600 residents.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Maysak moved into China’s Guangxi region on Sunday. The system had previously made landfall in Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province with sustained winds of 101 kilometers (63 miles) per hour before weakening slightly as it moved inland.

In Guangxi’s Fangchenggang city, overflowing rivers submerged vehicles up to their roofs, necessitating the use of inflatable boats by rescue teams to save trapped residents. Local reports via the China News Service indicate this is the most severe flooding the area has experienced in twenty years.

The storm’s impact was equally severe in Vietnam, where it ripped metal roofing from buildings and uprooted trees in the town of Mong Cai. Cleanup crews utilized heavy machinery and chainsaws to clear debris and restore road access following the storm. Maysak also caused significant damage in Dongxing, a city bordering Vietnam, after previously bringing heavy rains to Hainan island.

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