Torrential rains triggered widespread flooding in northern China, leaving thousands stranded, disrupting transportation, and prompting authorities to issue the highest-level weather alerts in several regions.

Thousands of people have been stranded after torrential rains triggered severe flooding in Hebei and Liaoning, inundating roads, sweeping away vehicles, and causing major disruptions to transportation networks.

Local authorities said floodwaters in Kuancheng County, home to around 240,000 people, exceeded two meters in some areas. Videos circulating on Chinese social media showed vehicles being swept away by fast-moving floodwaters and colliding as they were carried downstream.

About 1,800 villagers stranded

According to state broadcaster CCTV, approximately 1,800 villagers were stranded in Kuancheng. Emergency teams have prioritized evacuating residents to safer areas, deploying rescue boats and heavy equipment to reach isolated communities.

Authorities said evacuation efforts are continuing in the worst-affected districts, while temporary shelters have been prepared for displaced residents.

Typhoon Bavi triggers widespread flooding

The flooding was caused by heavy rainfall associated with Typhoon Bavi, which Chinese authorities described as the strongest storm to affect the country's mainland this year.

After making landfall along China's eastern coast, the storm brought intense rainfall to Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, and Anhui, prompting new flood warnings across a broad area.

Highest-level alerts issued

Authorities in Liaoning issued the highest-level red alert for flash floods. The Hebei provincial government ordered work to be suspended, businesses to close, and public events to be canceled while the emergency warning remains in effect.

Rail services suspended, schools closed

More than 30 railway services were suspended in Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning Province, due to the severe weather.

Schools in several regions, including Jilin Province, were temporarily closed as authorities sought to reduce risks from flooding and landslides.

Meteorologists warn of stronger storms

China's National Meteorological Center warned that parts of northeastern China could experience winds exceeding 117 kilometers per hour, along with hailstorms and possible tornadoes.

Meteorologists said Typhoon Bavi, which formed over the Pacific Ocean about two weeks ago and at one point covered an area roughly the size of France, has retained much of its structure after landfall and continues to transport large amounts of warm, moisture-laden air northward.

No deaths reported so far

According to China's Ministry of Water Resources, water levels in 46 rivers across the country have risen above flood warning thresholds.

No fatalities have been officially reported so far, while evacuation and emergency response operations continue in flood-hit areas.

Authorities warned that heavy rainfall is expected to persist over the coming days, increasing the risk of additional flooding and landslides across northern China. Experts also cautioned that climate change is contributing to more frequent and more intense extreme rainfall events in the region. (ILKHA)