Local rescue teams in Jingzhou, Hubei province, assist residents and vehicles in navigating flooded and waterlogged areas. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Authorities in Jingzhou, Hubei province, have activated a Level III emergency response for flood control as of 7 am Monday, as the city was battered by extreme torrential rainfall, causing severe waterlogging and raising the risk of dangerous flooding in the city's downtown areas.
The Jingzhou Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters issued a notice saying that from 8 am on Saturday to 6 am on Monday, the western parts of the city experienced mild rain to severe rainstorms, with some areas hit by extremely heavy rainfall, while its eastern parts saw moderate to heavy rain.
The city's Jingzhou district has already upgraded its emergency response for flood control to Level I.
Local rescue teams in Jingzhou, Hubei province, assist residents and vehicles in navigating flooded and waterlogged areas. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
According to an emergency notice issued by local authorities, strict suspension measures covering work, production, business operations, transportation and schools were immediately implemented across the city's central urban districts to support emergency rescue and drainage efforts.
Authorities said power supplies in hazardous areas would be cut off to prevent secondary disasters.
Public transportation services, including city buses, taxis, ride-hailing services and long-distance passenger transport, were also suspended. Authorities urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel, saying only emergency rescue and disaster-relief vehicles should remain on the roads.
Local rescue teams in Jingzhou, Hubei province, assist residents and vehicles in navigating flooded and waterlogged areas. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Meanwhile, all primary and secondary schools, kindergartens, childcare institutions and off-campus training centers in the downtown area suspended classes and offline teaching activities.
Some train services at Jingzhou Railway Station were also temporarily suspended due to the severe weather, according to railway authorities.
Besides Jingzhou, other cities in southern China have also activated emergency responses at different levels to heavy rainfall.
Local rescue teams in Jingzhou, Hubei province, assist residents and vehicles in navigating flooded and waterlogged areas. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
From 8 am on Monday to 8 am on Tuesday, torrential rain is expected in parts of southern China's coastal regions, the southeastern part of southwest China and other areas, according to a report by China Meteorological Administration.
Local rescue teams in Jingzhou, Hubei province, assist residents and vehicles in navigating flooded and waterlogged areas. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Parts of the southern coastal areas of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, the southwestern coast of Guangdong province, southern Henan province and northern Hubei province are expected to experience extremely heavy rainfall, with precipitation reaching 100 to 150 millimeters, the report said.
