President Xi Jinping is disheartened by the floods and wants a solution to take everyone out of the devastating situation. Due to the extent of the damage, the nation’s highest leadership has stepped in to organise relief efforts as emergency services are overburdened. A surge of worry and solidarity has been sparked by images of wrecked homes, stranded citizens, and rescue workers fighting the weather that have swept across the country. The catastrophe has highlighted how swiftly weather and climate patterns may change, transforming safety into anarchy.
After Gansu province is hit by deadly flash floods, Xi orders a full rescue effort
President Xi Jinping on Friday ordered “all-out” rescue efforts in China’s arid and mountainous northwest after flash floods caused by exceptionally heavy rain killed 10 people and left 33 missing. Torrential downpours began around 6 p.m. on Thursday and unleashed flash floods in Gansu province’s Yuzhong, stranding some 4,000 people, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported.
In one mountainous area, precipitation had reached up to 195mm (7.7 inches) since early Thursday evening. Yuzhong County normally sees 300-400mm of rainfall for the entire year. Yuzhong is situated among gullies and hills of wind-blown silt on one of the world’s biggest loess plateaus. That makes it vulnerable to flash floods and landslides, given the loose structure of the soil, which becomes unstable when saturated with water.
As China is battered by extreme weather, Xi calls for vigilance and quick action
Ankle-high muddy water could be seen coursing down a hilly road flanked by uprooted trees in a video posted by CCTV. CCTV quoted Xi as saying,
“The top priority must be to make every possible effort to search for and rescue missing people, relocate and resettle people under threat, minimise casualties, and restore communications and transportation as quickly as possible.”
He warned local governments not to succumb to “complacency and carelessness” in light of recent occurrences of extreme weather, CCTV said. Record rainfall has lashed China’s north and south in recent weeks in what meteorologists describe as extreme weather events linked to climate change. Heavy rains and flooding have killed at least 60 people across northern China, including Beijing since late July.
As livelihoods and infrastructure are disrupted, communities struggle
The floods have caused substantial damage to crops, residences, and key infrastructure. In rural regions, farmers have seen crops devastated only weeks before harvest, prompting fears about the economic impact on families who rely exclusively on agriculture. In a number of places, transportation routes have been closed, which has slowed down relief deliveries and made it more difficult for rescue crews to reach isolated settlements.
Along with the human cost, local officials are also dealing with the difficulty of resuming essential services like electricity and clean water. Injuries from falling structures, hazardous water currents, and debris have been treated at hospitals. Many residents are unsure of whether or when they would be allowed to return to their houses after losing personal goods. It is also seen as Beijing widens the storm alert as deadly floods persist.
The National Development and Reform Commission said on Friday it has allocated 100 million yuan ($13.92 million) to support rescue efforts in Gansu following the disaster. China has announced at least 6 billion yuan of funding for disaster relief since April. Relief funds and resources have already been mobilised as part of the government’s commitment to continue supporting recovery operations. The speed at which these towns may recover from such an abrupt and terrible setback will depend on the people’s ability to bounce back and a well-coordinated national response to see if it is possible, since Global markets have dropped after Trumpโs tariff move.
GCN.com/Reuters