More than 53,000 people have been evacuated, and 11 people are missing, amid ongoing heavy rainfall in southern , state media reported Monday.
Three people were later reported dead in Zhaoqing City by the state-run Xinhua news agency.
Days of have swelled rivers and waterways in the Pearl River Delta, with authorities warning .
State broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday that floods as high as 5.8 meters (19 feet) above the warning limit would strike in Pearl River tributaries on Monday morning.
“Three were killed and 11 others remain missing after continuous heavy rainfall hit many parts of south China’s Guangdong province in recent days,” Xinhua reported, citing the local authorities.
Tens of thousands evacuated
Xinhua reported that across the province, 53,741 people had been relocated, with 12,256 of that number resettled urgently, according to provincial authorities.
The cities of Shaoguan, Qingyuan, Zhaoqing and Jiangmen to the west and north of the provincial capital, Guangzhou, have been hardest hit.
Guangdong is China’s populous manufacturing hub and is home to more than 127 million people.
Rescuers on motor boats in the southern province evacuated trapped residents, while some elderly people were carried by piggyback from their homes.
Helicopters were deployed to rescue villagers caught in rural landslides.
Heavy rain expected through Monday
Torrential rain is expected to continue through Monday, with weather authorities predicting thunderstorms and strong winds in coastal areas.
The National Meteorological Center said neighboring provinces, including parts of Fujian, Guizhou and Guangxi, would also be affected by “short-term heavy rainfall.”
“It is expected that the main impact period of strong convection will last from daytime until night,” it added.
kb/wmr (AFP, Reuters)
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