Rains lash southern China as rising rivers threaten more flooding

Days of torrential rain, flash floods and landslides across southern China have forced authorities to enact emergency plans, as swollen rivers threaten to overflow further, potentially disrupting the lives of millions.
On Thursday, Guangdong upgraded an emergency response plan for disasters like landslides and flooding to the second-highest level, helping to coordinate and deploy resources across the flood-stricken province.
Several other provinces have already activated a Level-IV emergency response for flood control as this year’s flooding season kicked into high gear. China’s flood control emergency response system has four levels, with Level-I being the most severe.
The annual flooding season started earlier in China this year, as southern provinces battle with intense storms that have swept away bridges and destroyed low-rise homes, devastated agricultural output and submerged numerous cities.
Heavy rain and landslides in China’s coastal provinces of Guangdong and Fujian have already killed at least nine people and left several people missing.