Typhoon Maysak Triggers Record Flooding in Southern China

Typhoon Maysak unleashed historic rainfall on southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region after making a second landfall, triggering record-breaking floods that submerged entire neighborhoods and forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents, authorities said today.

The typhoon was downgraded to a severe tropical storm when it hit Vietnam on Saturday night before crossing into China’s Guangxi. By Sunday morning, its center was over Shangsi County in Fangchenggang City, where rain intensified dramatically.

At Jiangping Town in Dongxing, a 24-hour rainfall total reached 533.2 millimeters — equivalent to Beijing’s average annual precipitation. The Fangcheng national meteorological station recorded 414.3 millimeters in a single day, shattering its all-time record.

Eight rivers across the region exceeded warning levels, including the Fangcheng and Beilun rivers. The Fangcheng River’s urban section surged 4 meters above alert level, with a peak flow of 6,100 cubic meters per second — both the highest since 1949. In some areas, floodwaters reached the second floor of residential buildings.

State media footage showed armed police officers and fire rescue personnel deploying inflatable boats to reach trapped villagers. The Guangxi Armed Police Corps dispatched 53 soldiers to Fangchenggang, where they navigated flooded villages in waters up to 1.1 meters deep. As of Sunday evening, over 800 people had been evacuated.

In Hengzhou, a county-level city under Nanning, several townships were inundated, with Dengwei Village in Yunbiao Township losing power, water and food supplies. Residents were forced to seek safety on upper floors. The local Liulan Reservoir suffered breaches and is undergoing emergency repairs. Nearby reservoirs have begun releasing water, compounding flood risks downstream.

Hengzhou, which manages 194 small and medium-sized reservoirs — the most of any county in Guangxi — faces mounting pressure from ongoing rainfall. Local authorities have activated a Level 1 emergency response and are coordinating multi-agency rescue efforts.

Casualties so far have been unknown.