Typhoon Haikui devastated southern China.
Photo: REUTERS
Tropical rains, which accompanied Typhoon Haikui, which hit Hong Kong in the middle of last week, are hitting southern China for the seventh day. Low-lying areas were flooded, causing road blocks. In some settlements, broken tree branches, sand and leaves clogged drains. Local authorities will assign additional utility crews to clear blockages. And in mountainous areas, landslides triggered by rain destroyed several roads and bridges.
In Guangxi’s rural Bobai county, where water has risen more than two meters, flooding low-rise buildings, rescuers in boats are trying to evacuate residents to safe areas. More than a quarter of the annual rainfall has already fallen here.
Authorities in southern provinces canceled classes in some schools on Monday to avoid putting children at risk.
In Hong Kong, where Typhoon Haikui was considered the most powerful in 140 years, about 150 people were injured and taken to hospitals. The downpours that hit the city turned the streets into torrential torrents. Equipment was damaged in many industrial and commercial buildings due to flooding. The company is trying to calculate the amount of damages. During the storm, public transportation was affected.
Scientists say that each new typhoon is more powerful and intense than the last. As they move inland, they cause serious damage in regions that are not normally exposed to these types of natural disasters, unlike the coast of Shenzhen, for example. By the way, this city suffered the most this time.
Inland-moving typhoons affect regions that have historically been less exposed to heavy rain and strong winds, often with lower resilience to natural disasters, resulting in more severe losses, said Shao Sun, a climate scientist at the University of California.
