Devastating Floods and Record Heat in Southern China

Heavy rains in China’s southern Guangdong and Guangxi provinces have claimed five lives and left several missing over the weekend as authorities elevated alerts for severe rain, mountain flooding, and geological disasters in the south. The National Meteorological Centre has issued multiple warnings for heavy rains in Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangxi, Guangdong, and the northwestern province of Xinjiang. A yellow alert signifies a relatively high risk of mountain flooding. 2024 has been the warmest year on record for China, marking the second consecutive year of unprecedented weather patterns. The increased temperatures have seen a surge in storm intensity and power…