Guangxi floods: 6 dead, 11 missing as Typhoon Maysak batters south China
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
At least six people have died and 11 others remain missing after torrential rains driven by Typhoon Maysak triggered severe flooding across Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China, local authorities confirmed as of Tuesday evening, 7 July. The disaster has affected an estimated 375,000 people, prompting mass evacuations and the deployment of a large-scale rescue operation.
Scale of the Disaster
Authorities have evacuated 130,000 residents from flood-affected areas across Guangxi. More than 8,000 rescue personnel, along with over 1,700 vehicles and 5,700 boats, have been mobilised for search, rescue, and hazard removal operations. The region upgraded its flood alert to the highest-level red warning at 7:00 am on Tuesday, with neighbouring Guangdong Province issuing its own red flood alert shortly after.
Rivers Breaching Warning Levels
By 7:00 am Tuesday, water levels at 70 monitoring stations across 55 rivers in Guangxi were recorded between 0.01 and 7.46 metres above warning thresholds, according to the regional hydrology centre. A total of 341 reservoirs in the region have surpassed their flood-limit water levels, while 56 monitoring stations on 41 rivers are reporting levels above warning marks. The hydrology centre warned that elevated water levels would persist across several river sections over the next 24 hours.
Government Response and Relief
China's Ministry of Emergency Management has allocated more than 36,000 disaster relief items to Guangxi, including woven bags and rubber boats. The supplies were jointly dispatched by the office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration. Local officials stated they will continue to strengthen early warning systems, resident relocation efforts, and post-disaster recovery measures.
What Comes Next
Parts of Guangxi are forecast to receive heavy rainfall for the next three days, raising concerns about further flooding and infrastructure damage. China operates a four-tier emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe — the red alert currently in effect signals the gravest level of flood risk. Authorities are expected to maintain heightened vigilance as the typhoon's impact persists across the region.