Torrential rains in eastern China’s Shandong Province have caused sudden flash floods, leaving at least two people dead and ten others missing. According to local authorities, the Laiwu district of Jinan City received nearly six months’ worth of rainfall in just five hours.
This information was reported by Reuters on Tuesday, July 22.
The report stated that between midnight and 5 a.m. local time on Tuesday, 364 millimeters (14.3 inches) of rain was recorded—almost half of Jinan’s annual average of 733 millimeters (28.9 inches).
The intense downpour triggered flash floods in mountainous villages around Xiuji and Zhujiayu in Jinan. At least 19 homes were swept away or severely damaged. Search and rescue operations are underway to locate the missing individuals, officials confirmed.
Meteorologists say that due to climate change, China is witnessing more frequent extreme weather events, including heavy rainfall and flooding.