70,000 relocated as rain-triggered floods hit south China county

As of noon on Wednesday, continuous heavy rainfall has affected approximately 300,000 residents of Huaiji County, which is administered by Zhaoqing City in south China's Guangdong Province, and about 70,000 people have been relocated to safer areas, according to local authorities.

The downpours, triggered by Typhoon Wutip, the first typhoon of the year, along with an upper-level trough and monsoon rains, have lashed the region since Saturday. At 7:05 am Wednesday, the water level at a hydrological station in Huaiji on a river reached 55.22 meters, surpassing the warning level by 5.22 meters.

Nineteen townships across the county have been impacted, with widespread damage to levees, roads and croplands. A total of 15 people have been injured, though none are in life-threatening condition.

Currently, more than 10,000 rescue personnel and over 500 units of emergency equipment have been mobilized.

Huaiji elevated its flood control emergency response to level I, the highest, at 7 pm Tuesday. Local authorities have suspended classes, work, production, transportation and business activities across the county.