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Qingyuan has been one of the worst hit cities in Guangdong province by torrential rains. As the flood wore on, landslides¹ poured into rural areas and traffic came to a standstill, schools have been forced shut.

A major downpour like this is only expected once every two hundred years. So many were caught offguard when floods emerged in 19 townships of the city. In Xiniu township, power was completely gone, telecommunication² lines dead, and low rise houses inundated³ by rising water levels.

"I can’t do my business now. All my furniture is submerged. The flood came in before I could move them out," said a gas station manager.

In a local elementary school, over 30 students were left stranded⁴ in their classrooms.

"All the village roads are intraversable. Classes are now over. But we don’t know how to send students home," said a teacher of Chimi elementary school.

The tide of events turned tragic⁵ for one family. Local police reported that a pregnant woman trapped by the flood had gone into labor⁶. Their rescue efforts unfortunately came too late when they found her—as her water had already broke. By the time the expectant mother was rushed to hospital, she was already dehydrated and in a state of high blood pressure. Doctors were unable to save her unborn baby

By Friday, some 400,000 local residents in Qingyuan city have been affected⁷. One person was reported missing and one pronounced dead. As the rain subsides⁸, it leaves behind a city submerged with direct economic losses over a billion yuan.