Record-breaking rainfall hits south China's Guangxi

NANNING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Recording-breaking rainfall has battered multiple cities in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, leading to severe road waterlogging and traffic disruptions, local authorities said.

As of 4 p.m Sunday, the latest heavy rains had affected 21,289 people across Guangxi, and 2,354 people had been evacuated as a result.

Emergency response teams were promptly dispatched to the affected areas, and a raft of safety initiatives has been implemented to protect residents against secondary disasters.

From Saturday morning to Sunday morning, the region's northern, central and coastal areas experienced heavy rains, with the cities of Qinzhou, Fangchenggang and Nanning experiencing torrential downpours.

Meteorological authorities in Guangxi issued a red alert for extreme rainfall early on Sunday morning, when many residents and vehicles were reportedly stranded in waist-deep water in Nanning, the regional capital.

Over 30 passenger train trips were suspended from Saturday to Monday morning due to the heavy downpours, according to China Railway Nanning Group Co., Ltd.

From 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday, Longmengang Township in the city of Qinzhou experienced precipitation of 189.6 millimeters, breaking the previous hourly rainfall precipitation record in Guangxi.

Local authorities have said that Guangxi is becoming increasingly alert to extreme weather as it has already entered its rainy season, known locally as the "dragon boat water" period. Between late May and mid-June each year, the region is particularly prone to mudslides and waterlogging due to relentless downpours.