China braces for Super Typhoon Bavi after severe flooding and thunderstorms | World News

Severe flooding that hit southern China earlier this week could expand to other provinces with the arrival of Super Typhoon Bavi at the weekend.

Towns and villages in Hengzhou, the epicentre of the floods in Guangxi province, were inundated with water on Monday after dams at local reservoirs failed amid record-breaking rainfall.

At least six people died, with 375,000 others affected, officials said. The number killed is expected to rise.

“At least a thousand people are stranded in the mountains and it’s dark all around and [we need] urgent rescue,” a call for help posted on Chinese social media on Tuesday said.

Floodwaters carrying large amounts of mud and silt surged downstream after a medium-sized reservoir failed, national broadcaster CCTV said.

It said floodwaters reached the second floor of some houses, trapping villagers on rooftops.

At least five dead and 12 more trapped after China landslide

Elsewhere, in central China, tornadoes and storms killed at least 11 and injured hundreds.

Thunderstorms battered parts of Hubei province’s eastern region on Monday night, injuring more than 330 people and leading to the collapse of over 20 houses, with 4,800 damaged, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

It said a rare EF2 tornado swept through the city of Huanggang, where winds lifted trucks and displaced them as much as 30m (98ft) away.

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Six typhoons expected

China’s National Climate Centre expects up to six typhoons to form in the Northwest Pacific and South China Sea in July – more than the average of 3.8.

Up to three of those could make landfall, above the average of 1.8. It said the intensity of the cyclones will also be stronger.

Super typhoon approaches

The country is now bracing for Super Typhoon Bavi, which is expected to hit on Saturday.

The storm, measuring more than 1,000km (621 miles) in diameter, briefly made landfall on Monday over the US island of Rota in the Western Pacific with winds in excess of 180mph.

Scientists have warned that climate change is increasingly exposing China to destructive weather events.

This year is a particular concern because of the expected emergence of the El Nino weather pattern, which could increase temperatures and fuel more intense typhoons.