Rescue teams in southern China continued searching for survivors and providing aid following severe flooding triggered by Typhoon Maysak, which has claimed 17 lives and damaged thousands of homes and farmland across multiple provinces. The storm caused dozens of rivers to breach their banks, a reservoir dam to collapse, and widespread devastation, particularly in the Guangxi region.

In Guangxi, six people died, and at least 130,000 residents were evacuated as relentless rainfall and flooding submerged large areas. Floodwaters overflowed 40 rivers and waterways, damaging nearly 13,000 acres of farmland. In the village of Liulan, where a reservoir dam gave way, floodwaters had begun to recede by Tuesday, leaving streets and homes coated in thick mud. Vehicles swept from roads were seen buried in silt on nearby fields.

Residents expressed feelings of helplessness in the face of the disaster but praised the efforts of the military and volunteers aiding relief operations. Rescue teams deployed drones to deliver food and supplies to isolated communities still cut off by high and fast-moving waters. Authorities have distributed emergency materials including food, rain gear, and rubber boats, while volunteers have joined official teams in assisting those affected.

Damage assessments in Guangxi indicate that roughly 375,000 people have been impacted, with officials maintaining the region’s flood-control emergency response at the second-highest level. Authorities warned that flood levels at the Wuzhou Hydrological Station could exceed warning thresholds by more than six meters, posing ongoing risks to reservoir and embankment safety. The Ministry of Water Resources highlighted concerns over the stress imposed by persistent heavy rainfall and sustained floodwater levels on local infrastructure.

Central China’s Hubei province has also experienced severe weather, with thunderstorms, gale-force winds, and tornadoes killing 11 people and injuring more than 300. The storms damaged or destroyed thousands of houses, and one person remains missing. Local governments have allocated 70 million yuan (approximately $10 million) in relief funds for resettlement efforts in the province.

Meanwhile, the eastern provinces are bracing for the arrival of Super Typhoon Bavi, expected to make landfall near the Zhejiang-Fujian border between Saturday and Sunday. Forecasts suggest Bavi may move northward along coastal waters east of Taiwan or directly reach Zhejiang’s coast. Earlier this week, Bavi affected U.S. Pacific territories such as Guam and the Northern Marianas, cutting power to tens of thousands.

In a separate incident, northwestern China’s Gansu province confirmed the death toll from a landslide on Tuesday has reached 21. Search and rescue operations there have been completed, and investigations into the landslide’s cause are ongoing. Authorities have earmarked 60 million yuan for reconstruction efforts in Gansu.

China regularly contends with natural disasters throughout the summer, as extreme weather—from flooding to heatwaves—affects vast regions. Experts caution that the frequency and intensity of such events are likely to increase amid global climate change driven by fossil fuel emissions.