Xi Jinping Issues Flood Control Directives as Guangxi Devastated by Severe Rainfall, 6 Dead
President Xi Jinping has issued urgent instructions on flood prevention and disaster relief as Typhoon Maysak — the 10th named storm of the 2026 Pacific typhoon season — continues to devastate China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region with historic rainfall. At least six people have been confirmed dead, 11 remain missing, and more than 130,000 residents have been evacuated across 14 cities and 63 counties, affecting a total of 375,000 people, according to Xinhua News.
A ‘Weak Storm, Strong Disaster’ Phenomenon
Typhoon Maysak made its first landfall in Hainan Province on July 3 as a tropical storm, then struck Vietnam’s Quang Ninh Province on July 4 before stalling near the China-Vietnam border. Though relatively weak in intensity, the storm lingered over Guangxi for 26 hours at tropical storm strength or above, combining with the southwest monsoon to funnel massive amounts of water vapor into the region.
According to an analysis by Xinhua, the storm’s slow movement was caused by weak steering winds between a stable subtropical high and a continental high. The result was catastrophic: 61 county-level weather stations broke historical rainfall records, and approximately 77% of Guangxi’s townships experienced torrential rain. Nanning, Guigang, Qinzhou, and Fangchenggang each received over 600mm of rainfall.
Widespread Damage and Infrastructure Strain
The flooding has placed immense pressure on the region’s infrastructure. As reported by China News Service, 105 rivers and 155 monitoring stations recorded above-warning-level floods, with 61 rivers and 78 stations reaching their highest-ever water levels. The Yujiang River formed Flood No. 1 and the Xijiang River formed Flood No. 2, with the Yujiang at Guigang station reaching 46.9 meters — 5.7 meters above the warning level.
Nine reservoirs across Nanning and Guigang experienced distress, including overflow and structural damage. Four reservoirs in Nanning — Liulan, Yunbiao, Liuwang, and Baihe — affected 112,000 people, with 63,000 evacuated and four deaths reported. Five reservoirs in Guigang affected over 132,000 people. As of July 7, 341 reservoirs across Guangxi remained above flood-season limits, with officials warning of high risks of piping, landslides, and dam collapse.
Bridge Collapse Averted by Early Warning
In a notable success for disaster prevention, a bridge in Qishi Township, Guigang City, collapsed on July 7 — but with zero casualties. Local patrols detected structural danger signs and preemptively closed the bridge before it gave way. Video footage captured the bridge collapsing in multiple stages, sending large plumes of water into the air. The Beijing News, via Sina News, confirmed that the township government had implemented control measures after inspections revealed the danger.
Central Government Response
President Xi Jinping’s directives, issued on July 7, called for full rescue operations, medical treatment, and resettlement of affected populations. He emphasized the need to “resolutely overcome complacency” and thoroughly inspect risks in rivers, lakes, dangerous reservoirs, and geological disaster-prone areas. Premier Li Qiang also issued instructions urging strengthened monitoring and early warning systems to prevent major secondary disasters.
The Central Organization Department has allocated 60 million yuan (approximately US$8.3 million) from centrally managed Communist Party fees to support flood control efforts in Guangxi, Gansu, and three other provinces, as reported by People’s Daily. The National Flood Control Headquarters has raised its emergency response to Level II for Guangxi.
A Multi-Front Crisis
The Guangxi disaster is unfolding alongside other catastrophic events across China. A massive landslide in Tanchang County, Gansu Province, has killed 21 people, while severe convective weather including EF2-level tornadoes in Huanggang, Hubei, has claimed 11 lives. Compounding the crisis, Super Typhoon Bavi — the 9th named storm of the season — is approaching East China with sustained winds of 55-60 meters per second (16-17 on the Beaufort scale), threatening Fujian, Zhejiang, and Taiwan around July 10-12.
As The Paper reports, this creates an unprecedented “two-front” flood control challenge for Chinese authorities: ongoing recovery and rescue operations in the south and west, while preparing for a major typhoon strike in the east.
Lingering Danger and Forward Outlook
Guangxi’s disaster prevention and relief efforts still face severe challenges, warned Cai Yunge, Executive Vice Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, at an emergency press conference on July 7. Rainfall is expected to continue for at least three more days, and geological disasters have a significant lag effect. Liu Xiaoming, Chief Engineer of the Guangxi Geological Environment Monitoring Station, cautioned that the three days after rainfall stops remain a high-incidence period for landslides and mudslides, urging authorities to prevent evacuated residents from returning prematurely.
With Super Typhoon Bavi bearing down on East China and multiple disaster zones still active, the coming week will test the resilience and coordination of China’s disaster response systems on a scale rarely seen in recent years.