LIULAN, China, July 8, (v7n) – Rescuers scoured flooded areas of southern and central China on Wednesday as residents began the grim task of cleaning up their devastated homes, after storms killed 17 people, caused dozens of rivers to overflow, and led to a reservoir dam collapse.

In the Guangxi region, six people died and at least 130,000 were evacuated after torrential rain and severe flooding from Typhoon Maysak, officials said. Fast-flowing muddy water burst the banks of 40 rivers, damaging nearly 13,000 acres of agricultural land, state media reported.

In the village of Liulan, where a reservoir dam collapsed, floodwaters had receded but streets and houses were swamped with thick mud. AFP reporters saw multiple vehicles washed into nearby fields, buried in silt. "When faced with these natural disasters, we really feel powerless," said resident Wu Yuhao. "But now people from all walks of life and the army are helping us, so we can really feel that sense of unity and strength."

Authorities were sending additional disaster relief, including food, raincoats, and rubber boats, Xinhua reported. Volunteers from nearby areas joined official rescue forces. "Coming to the front line feels pretty heavy, emotionally speaking," volunteer Qin Qiuyu told AFP. "In the worst-hit areas, people are still calling out for help non-stop."

About 375,000 people in Guangxi have been affected. Flood peaks exceeding warning levels by more than six metres are expected at the Wuzhou Hydrological Station early Thursday, with Minister of Water Resources Li Guoying warning that "the safety of reservoirs and embankments... faces a severe test."

In central Hubei province, thunderstorms and gale-force winds killed 11 people, injured 331, damaged 4,800 houses, and collapsed 22 more, with one person missing.

Meanwhile, eastern provinces are preparing for Super Typhoon Bavi, which could make landfall near the Zhejiang-Fujian border between Saturday and Sunday, after tearing through US Pacific territories earlier this week and leaving tens of thousands without power.

In northwestern Gansu province, the death toll from a Tuesday landslide rose to 21, with search and rescue operations concluded. Authorities set aside 70 million yuan ($10 million) for disaster relief in Hubei and 60 million yuan for reconstruction in Gansu. Scientists warn that extreme weather events will intensify as global temperatures rise due to fossil fuel emissions.

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