Due to the influence of the residual cloud system from this year’s 20th typhoon “Bailuoyi”, a heavy rainfall event occurred in southern Guangxi and southeastern Yunnan of China, causing 44 rivers in the Pearl River Basin to experience floods above the warning level.
According to China News Service, the Pearl River Water Resources Commission under the Ministry of Water Resources of China reported on the 1st that during this intense rainfall process, notable floods occurred in the Youjiang, Zuojiang, and Yujiang Rivers within the Pearl River Basin. Among them, the Baise Water Conservancy Hub on the Youjiang River experienced the largest flood since its construction in 2001, and the Shuikou River, upstream of the Zuojiang River, witnessed the largest flood since the station was established.
At present, the Pearl River Flood Control Headquarters and the Pearl River Commission are maintaining a Level IV flood control and flood defense emergency response, with two dispatched working groups still assisting and guiding flood control efforts on the front lines in Guangxi.
The Pearl River Commission has organized consultations regarding the recent Yujiang River flood process. Per the unified deployment of the Ministry of Water Resources, the Commission urgently connected with Guangxi water conservancy departments and Youjiang Water Resources Company to discuss and formulate flood defense plans. Notices were issued in the name of the Pearl River Flood Control Headquarters, requiring local flood control commands to preemptively evacuate people from low-lying areas.
At the same time, the Pearl River Commission, together with Guangxi water conservancy departments, systematically and scientifically dispatched the Baise Water Conservancy Hub, Zuojiang River, Naban and other Yujiang River trunk and tributary reservoirs, intercepting 710 million cubic meters of floodwater. This avoided the peak flows of the Zuojiang and Youjiang Rivers from meeting, thereby minimizing flood disaster losses. Among them, the Baise Water Conservancy Hub achieved a flood intercept and peak shaving rate of 70%, greatly reducing the flood control pressure on the lower reaches of the Yujiang River.
Consultations have pointed out that currently, floods in the trunk and tributaries of the Yujiang River are advancing downstream. Some river channels have been experiencing prolonged high-volume flows, and some reservoirs continue to operate at relatively high water levels, resulting in great defensive pressure. According to forecasts, this year’s 21st typhoon “Mekkhala” is expected to form around the 4th, and may affect the southern and western parts of the Pearl River Basin in the future. In addition, as the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival “Double Festival” holidays approach, there will be an increase in the number and mobility of tourists, as well as crowd gatherings at scenic spots, making the flood control situation in the Pearl River Basin still severe and complex.