Severe Flooding Hits Northeast China as 14 Rivers Overflow

More than 364,000 people have been evacuated in northeastern China after Typhoon Bavi — the ninth typhoon of the 2026 season — triggered catastrophic flooding across Liaoning and Jilin provinces, with 14 rivers in Liaoning alone exceeding warning levels, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Typhoon’s Unprecedented Path

Typhoon Bavi formed on June 30 and reached super typhoon intensity with sustained winds of 195 km/h before making landfall in Zhejiang Province on July 11. After crossing multiple provinces, the storm maintained unusual strength over land — a phenomenon meteorologists attribute to its large circulation, continuous inflow of warm moist air, and slow movement in a weak steering current environment.

According to CCTV’s “News 1+1” program, Chief Forecaster Chen Tao of the Central Meteorological Observatory explained that Bavi “was already quite strong before landfall, reaching typhoon level. Its circulation was large and carried abundant moisture, making it easy to maintain over land for a long time.”

Widespread Flooding and River Overflows

From July 12 to July 14, central and northern Liaoning experienced heavy to torrential rainfall. The provincial average rainfall reached 54.4 mm between July 12 and July 13, with a maximum cumulative rainfall of 344.4 mm recorded in Heping District, Shenyang — exceeding half the region’s average annual rainfall.

As of July 14, 14 rivers including the Hunhe, Qinghe, Puhe, Liaohe, and Taizihe had exceeded warning levels. The Hunhe River was designated “Hunhe 2026 No. 1 Flood” on July 13 when water levels at the Shenyang station reached 37.99 meters, as Xinhua reported. The Chaihe River exceeded its guarantee water level, and 36 reservoirs surpassed flood-season limits.

Massive Evacuation Operation

Liaoning Province reported 364,881 people evacuated by the morning of July 14. The city of Fushun was the hardest hit, accounting for 265,129 evacuees. Shenyang evacuated 38,812 residents. All 14 cities in Liaoning and the Shenfu Demonstration Zone activated emergency responses, with Shenyang and Fushun raising their response to Level 1 — the highest possible.

In Jilin Province, Huinan County also raised its emergency response to Level 1 for flood and typhoon prevention.

Guo Shoukun, Deputy Director of the Liaoning Provincial Flood Control Office, told CCTV that evacuations were concentrated in the central and northern regions, adding that numbers “may further increase” as rain and water conditions change.

National Response Escalates

The Ministry of Water Resources raised its flood defense emergency response to Level III for both Liaoning and Jilin on July 13, as Xinhua reported. The ministry warned that 28 counties faced red-level mountain torrent disaster risks, with forecasts showing heavy rain overlapping with disaster-prone areas.

Multiple cities — including Shenyang, Fushun, Jinzhou, Tieling, and Panjin — implemented “three stops” policies, halting classes, business operations, and work. Liaoyang ordered school closures for July 13-14. According to the Liaoning Provincial Water Resources Department, 95 mines were shut down in Fushun, and 2,252 military and armed police personnel were deployed with 138 vehicles and 13 helicopters on standby.

Damage and Relief Efforts

Initial damage reports indicate 4,337 people affected across four townships in Chaoyang’s Lingyuan area, with 303.33 hectares of crops damaged and direct economic losses of 2.59 million yuan. Two national/provincial highway sections and 23 rural road sections were interrupted.

Relief supplies have been dispatched, including 20,000 items such as cotton blankets and towels sent to Fushun on July 12, followed by 6,160 provincial relief items to Tieling and surrounding counties on July 13.

Analysis and Outlook

The scale of the evacuation — the largest in the region in recent years — reflects the severity of the threat posed by Typhoon Bavi’s unusual endurance. Meteorologists noted that the storm maintained its strength over land far longer than typical typhoons due to favorable atmospheric conditions and continuous moisture inflow from southern China.

Heavy rain was forecast to continue through July 14, with the provinces of Liaoning, Jilin, and parts of Anhui and Jiangsu expected to experience further downpours. Typhoon Bavi, still active as a tropical storm over Anhui, was expected to gradually weaken as it moved northeastward.

The full extent of agricultural and economic damage remains unknown, with assessments expected to continue in the coming days as floodwaters recede.