Historic Flooding Submerges Rongjiang, China as Duliu River Overflows After Record Rainfall

Severe flooding has devastated Rongjiang County in Guizhou Province, China, after days of relentless rainfall caused the Duliu River to overflow, submerging large parts of the city. The water levels reached historic highs, prompting mass evacuations and widespread damage to infrastructure and property.

Video footage from Tuesday captured torrents of water pouring down escalators and stairwells inside Rongjiang’s largest shopping center, dragging furniture, clothing, and other debris through its flooded floors. Additional footage showed cars being swept into underground garages, while multiple vehicles were later found submerged across the city.

Cars were submerged and washed into underground garages

Floodwaters surged after the Rongjiang River reached a critical level of 114.6 meters late last week, eventually peaking at 255 meters—3.5 meters above the official safety threshold. The local government raised the flood alert to its highest level on Tuesday, urging residents in low-lying areas to seek shelter on higher ground.

Rongjiang, home to approximately 300,000 people, is experiencing its worst flooding in 30 years. According to local residents, although the rain has stopped, water levels remain dangerously high and are expected to continue rising in the coming days.

Aerial view of the city showing submerged houses and streets

Authorities reported widespread flooding of streets, residential neighborhoods, underground parking facilities, and commercial centers. A viaduct near the city collapsed after a landslide triggered by the persistent downpour, further disrupting transportation and emergency response efforts.

China is no stranger to summer floods, particularly in the southern regions affected by the East Asian monsoon system. Warm, moist air from the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean fuels heavy rains that often cause rivers to overflow. Similar conditions earlier in April 2024 led to massive evacuations in Guangdong Province, where the Bei River swelled 19 feet above warning levels, displacing over 110,000 residents and causing power outages for over a million households.

A shopping center in China's Rongjiang city in Guizhou was deluged by floodwaters

The current disaster in Rongjiang is being compared to the catastrophic 2021 floods in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, when the heaviest rainfall in over a millennium overwhelmed the city’s drainage system. At least 25 lives were lost in those floods, and hundreds of thousands were forced to evacuate.

In Rongjiang, emergency rescue teams are working around the clock to evacuate residents, with images showing workers carrying people through chest-deep water. Entire sections of the city remain underwater, and officials are warning of further dangers as the structural integrity of buildings and roads is compromised by the flood.

Cars were submerged and washed into underground garages