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“Storm of the Century” Batters Rural Guangdong With Flooding and Landslides [PICTORIAL]

Posted: 05/26/2014 12:00 pm

guangzhou rain flooding landslides zengcheng conghua

Dubbed the “storm of the century”, the latest in a series of storms that has battered Guangdong Province since the beginning of May has caused fatalities and widespread damage from flooding, landslides, and sinkholes.

This is a series of pictures from Yangcheng Evening Report and Xinhua that focuses on the hardest-hit areas of Conghua and Zengcheng as well as the Township of Dubu and Qigong, and the village of Jiangdong.

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15 Dead in Latest Storms to Batter Guangdong, Five Killed in Guangzhou

Posted: 05/26/2014 8:24 am

flooding guangzhou rain disasterThe latest in a series of rainstorms to batter Guangdong this May has killed fifteen people and caused the disappearance of five, reports the Global Times.

A total of 800,000 people throughout Guangdong have been affected by the rain, with a total accumulated precipitation in the City of Shanwei recorded at 628mm.

Sixteen major roadways have been closed due to the rain throughout the province.

In Guangzhou alone, four people have died and one is missing from the flooding on May 23, reports Guangzhou Daily Report. Districts particularly affected by the storm include Zengcheng, Conghua, Baiyun, and Huadu. The estimated loss to the local economy is RMB 700 million; 6,810 houses have collapsed and 206,000 mu of croplands have been destroyed. 220,500 Guangzhou residents have been adversely affected by the storm with some 42,500 people evacuated.

A 21 year-old student of the Nanfang College at Sun Yat-sen University named Pan Jinxiang is one of the reported fatalities. Pan fell into one of the many sinkholes and drowned after the flooding receded. All students were reportedly evacuated on Friday. Classmates say Pan may have drowned near construction performed by a real estate developer.

Other Guangdong urban centers hit by the storm include Zhaoqing and Qingyuan. Storm-ravaged rural areas include some 30 townships. Disaster relief and anti-flooding measures have been initiated by the three levels of local government.

guangzhou rain flooding landslides zengcheng conghuaIn Zengcheng, the 80 year-old Zeng River Bridge (also known as the East Gate Bridge) was destroyed by rising flood waters on May 23 at 7:40pm. Built in 1932, the Zeng River Bridge had been destroyed twice before, and rebuilt three times since. A driver named Zheng Guoqing blocked access to the bridge and tried to warn other people from crossing when he felt it buckling underneath his feet. Minutes later, the center of the bridge collapsed.

The forecast for Guangzhou on Monday is clear skies and warm temperatures with some areas experiencing scattered showers.

The threat of flooding on Monday is focused in northern Guangdong as well as Jiangxi and Hunan Provinces. However, Guangzhou will again be targeted by the storms on Tuesday and Wednesday, mostly in the afternoon, reports Accuweather. Due to the ground already saturated with rainwater, more flash flooding is expected to return.

flooding guangzhou rain disasterflooding guangzhou rain disasterflooding guangzhou rain disasterflooding guangzhou rain disasterflooding guangzhou rain disasterguangzhou rain flooding landslides zengcheng conghuaflooding guangzhou rain disasterflooding guangzhou rain disasterflooding guangzhou rain disasterPhotos: Southern Metropolis Report via Weibo, Guangzhou Daily Report via Weibo, Guangzhou Daily via Weibo, Yangcheng Evening Report (via Weibo), Guangzhou PSB via Weibo, Shenzhen Traffic Police via Weibo

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Eight Dead as Guangzhou Pulverized by Flooding and Landslides [PICTORIAL, UPDATED]

Posted: 05/23/2014 5:00 pm

guangzhou conghua flooding rain landslide

UPDATE 2, 8:48pm May 23, 2014: Six people are confirmed dead after getting caught in a rain-triggered landslide in the village of Longshi, Heping County, Guangdong. Initially, the incident left two dead, two injured and three missing; however, three victims recovered today had passed away as had a victim taken to hospital.

Meanwhile, two people are reported dead in Huaiji, Zhaoqing in a landslide that also injured three children.

UPDATE 1, 5:20pm May 23, 2014: As of 4:49pm, delays have been reported at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport lasting at least an hour for 64 flights; additionally, 14 outbound flights and 19 inbound flights have been cancelled. As such, an airport blue alert has been issued. The customer hotline for Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport: 020-3606 6999

***

A torrential rainfall has made Conghua District in the City of Guangzhou a disaster zone as a red alert weather warning continues to be in effect for the area as of 2:12pm today.

Wenquan and Liangkou County are among the worst hit areas by the storm with some residents reporting water and electricity have been cut off. The villages of Daxi, Shiling, and Xitou are said to be particularly affected, including Wenquan Middle School.

Many roads have been blocked as flooding and landslides have occurred throughout the area. A landslide is reported to be obstructing a 1 km stretch of the #355 County Road from Jinyezi Hotel in Zengcheng to South Kunshan with both lanes blocked. Elsewhere, flood waters reported as high as 80cm are blocking major six lane roads.

Nanfang College at Sun Yat-sen University has been hit particularly hard by the rainstorm. Several buildings and streets of the campus have been by flooded. Two sinkholes have been reported to have opened up in the school, one taking place in front of dormitory H24. Pictures depict the flooding of dormitories. University students were initially told to remain where they were and wait for flooding to subside, but have now all been evacuated.

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This is what the storm looked like yesterday afternoon in Guangzhou, bringing the night to the day:

guangzhou conghua rainstorm rain flooding landslide flood

And here’s a view from Dongguan:

guangzhou conghua rainstorm rain flooding landslide flood

Photos: Guangzhou Daily Report via Weibo (2), People’s Needs of Zhongda Nanfang School Weibo, Guangzhou Conghua Police via Weibo, Nanfang Report via Weibo, Yangcheng Evening Report via Weibo and Jinyang Network, Beautiful Flowers of Dongguan via Weibo

Haohao
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Up to one fifth of vegetables in the Pearl River Delta have high toxin levels

Posted: 06/26/2013 7:00 am

We all know that China’s industrial boom, much of which has been concentrated in Guangdong Province, has come at a considerable cost to the environment.

We also know that food safety scares are never far away from the headlines here in the Pearl River Delta.

But even to a hardened expat, the latest information on the safety of the region’s vegetables as revealed by an agriculture official is shocking.

Shenzhen Daily has the story:

The official, Yu Jian’e, said the spread of heavy metals used in manufacturing, such as arsenic, cadmium, copper and mercury, was a “regional problem, covering a large area” after Guangdong’s decades-long industrial boom.

“As a result, about 10 to 20 percent of vegetables grown in nine vegetable production centers, including Dongguan, Conghua and [Guangzhou’s] Panyu [District], were tested and found to contain more heavy metals than the country’s safety levels allow,” Yu said.

The possible effects of this do not make for pleasant reading.

Traces of lead, chromium, zinc and nickel were also found in some vegetables. Such heavy metals can accumulate in the body over the years, causing organ and nerve damage and even cancer.

Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, said pollution in the Pearl River Delta was among the worst in the country due to its large concentration of electronics manufacturers, electroplating plants, and leather and textile workshops.

Emissions from cars don’t help either.

The brilliant bilingual blog China Dialogue offers news and in-depth analysis of the nation’s environmental issues.

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