China floods leave 39 dead in Guangxi as heavy rain threatens more regions

At least 39 people have died and nine remain missing after successive rounds of torrential rain triggered devastating floods in China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as authorities warned that heavy rainfall is expected to batter more parts of the country in the coming days.

Officials said the death toll includes victims of a major reservoir breach in the regional capital, Nanning, which compounded the impact of widespread flooding across Guangxi.

The latest fatalities come as China continues to grapple with severe weather linked to persistent monsoon rains and the effects of Typhoon Bavi, which has intensified flooding in several provinces.

In northeast China's Jilin Province, authorities on Tuesday raised the emergency flood response from Level IV to Level III after heavy rainfall caused extensive flooding.

The Songhua River's Jilin section has recorded its first major flood of 2026, while the Meihe River, a tributary of the Huifa River, has experienced its largest flood since hydrological records began.

Officials warned that water levels across the Huifa River are expected to remain above danger levels, raising concerns over river flooding, mountain torrents, landslides, reservoir safety and urban inundation. Authorities described the flood control situation as severe and complex.

Meanwhile, China's Ministry of Water Resources has forecast further moderate to heavy rainfall between Tuesday and Friday across parts of northwestern China. Central Shaanxi Province and central and southern Shanxi Province are expected to experience particularly intense downpours.

The ministry said rising water levels are anticipated along sections of the middle reaches of the Yellow River and several of its tributaries, including the Weihe, Fenhe and Qinhe rivers. Smaller rivers in the affected regions could exceed warning levels, increasing the risk of flash floods.

Water authorities have instructed provincial governments in Shanxi and Shaanxi, along with river basin management agencies, to strengthen monitoring, improve forecasting and issue timely warnings. Officials have also been directed to ensure the safety of reservoirs and silt dams while stepping up measures to mitigate flooding in smaller rivers and mountainous areas.

With IANS inputs