Deadly Floods Trigger Red Alerts, Evacuations Across Northern, Western China

Northern and western China are on high alert due to the annual 'Plum Rains,' which have caused deadly flash floods and landslides across several provinces including Sichuan, Gansu, Liaoning, Henan, and Hebei. The severe weather has prompted the issuance of red alerts and the deployment of over 1,000 rescue workers to affected areas such as Taiping in Henan, where flooding has resulted in multiple fatalities and missing persons. Transportation disruptions, including train suspensions and flight delays around Beijing, have been reported as the rains continue to move northeast. Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has urged local officials to increase evacuation efforts to minimize casualties amid the intensifying storms. Experts link the increased severity and unpredictability of these floods to climate change, which also threatens China's $2.8 trillion agricultural sector and challenges aging flood defenses. Despite China's nationwide severe weather monitoring system, localized forecasting remains difficult, especially in rural areas, complicating disaster preparedness and response.