Weather tracker: Typhoon Saudel causes mass evacuations in south-east China

Typhoon Saudel recently brought several days of widespread torrential rain to south-east China, affecting provinces such as Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Guangdong. The city of Putian in Fujian province experienced extremely heavy rainfall, recording 416.5mm in a 24-hour period. Surrounding villages received even more, with over 500mm of rain during the same time frame. This intense weather led to significant disruptions and safety concerns across the region.

Due to the severe weather conditions, authorities initiated large-scale evacuations. In Fujian, approximately 600,000 residents living in high-risk, flood-prone areas were moved to safety. Jiangxi province also saw 128,000 people affected across 53 counties, with emergency evacuations for 9,000 individuals. The typhoon’s impact resulted in widespread flooding, dangerous landslips, and considerable damage to local infrastructure, including roads and public facilities.

Specific incidents highlighted the severity of the situation. More than 2,500 students and teachers became trapped in a school compound in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, after flash floods caused by extreme rainfall. In Putian, a river embankment collapsed, leading to the destruction of 100 homes and requiring the rescue of at least 1,260 people. Tragically, a landslip in a village in Suichuan county, Jiangxi, claimed three lives, and nine other people remained missing. Meanwhile, other parts of the world also faced extreme weather, with north-west South Africa experiencing thunderstorms and central-southern US battling oppressive heat.