BEIJING, June 21 (V7N) – Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated in China's central province of Hunan due to heavy rain, state media reported Friday, as the country grapples with a summer of extreme weather. This comes amidst a series of heatwaves, floods, and storms impacting various parts of the nation.

State news agency Xinhua stated that as of 5:00 pm (0900 GMT) Friday, more than 53,000 people have been evacuated across Hunan. Local weather departments predict torrential rain, with some isolated areas bracing for "extremely heavy" downpours. Parts of Hunan have already seen precipitation exceeding 400 millimeters (16 inches) since Wednesday, leading to significant flooding and rising river levels.

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has also issued warnings for heavy rain in southern and central parts of the country on Saturday, indicating a "significant threat of mountain flood disasters" in several areas. China's Ministry of Water Resources had earlier activated a Level-IV emergency response for flood control in nine provincial-level regions, including Hunan, dispatching work teams to provide on-site guidance.

This latest warning follows closely on the heels of other severe weather events. Just days prior, nearly 70,000 people in southern China were evacuated due to heavy flooding caused by Typhoon Wutip. Last month, swathes of northern and central China experienced record May heat, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in several major cities.

China has been experiencing a recurring pattern of extreme weather events, ranging from searing heat and drought to intense downpours and floods, for several consecutive summers. While China is the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, it is also a renewable energy powerhouse, actively working to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2060.

Last August, torrential rains triggered by Typhoon Gaemi, which made landfall in eastern China after moving from the Philippines and Taiwan, resulted in at least 30 fatalities and dozens missing. The ongoing string of severe weather events underscores the growing challenges China faces in adapting to the impacts of climate change.