At least 10 people have been killed and 33 remain missing after flash floods struck northwestern China’s Gansu province, state media reported on Friday.

Heavy rainfall beginning on 7 August triggered severe flooding in the region, according to state broadcaster CCTV. As of 15:30 local time (07:30 GMT) on 8 August, rescue operations were underway to locate the missing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “all-out” efforts to rescue those unaccounted for, urging authorities to act with “utmost effort,” CCTV reported. He also warned against complacency in the face of increasingly frequent extreme weather events, which meteorologists attribute to climate change, and ordered strengthened risk assessments nationwide.

Footage shared by Chinese fire authorities on Weibo showed rescuers navigating through fast-moving, debris-laden floodwaters to assist residents in affected villages. Images released by the Gansu government depicted roads blanketed in silt and scattered with large stones.

The floods come amid a wave of extreme weather across China. Since late July, heavy rains and flooding have claimed at least 60 lives in northern regions, including Beijing, highlighting the growing impact of climate-driven weather events. (ILKHA)