Sichuan Raises Flood Response to Level III Amid Heavy Rain

Sichuan upgraded its flood emergency response from Level IV to Level III at 18:00 on July 31, as a prolonged spell of heavy rain created a severe flood-control situation across multiple prefectures. The decision by the Sichuan Provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters was reported by People’s Daily Online, citing the Xinhua News Agency.

Context

China’s flood emergency response uses a four-tier system, with Level IV the lowest and Level I the highest; a move to Level III signals a significant deterioration in flood risk and requires broader coordination among provincial agencies. The upgrade was made under the Sichuan Flood Control and Drought Relief Emergency Plan (2026 revision), document No. 川防指汛发〔2026〕2号, according to Sichuan Online, which published the official notice.

The heavy rain began on July 29, placing Sichuan squarely in the “qixia bashang” window — the late-July-to-early-August period that marks the historical peak of China’s flood season.

Key Developments

The Sichuan Meteorological Observatory continued its yellow rainstorm warning on July 31, effective from 20:00 that day until 20:00 August 1, covering parts of Guangyuan, Mianyang, Deyang, Chengdu, Meishan and Leshan, as well as central and southern Ya’an and western sections of Yibin, Zigong, Neijiang and Ziyang. Forecasts called for 60–90 mm of rain, with localized downpours of 180–230 mm and maximum hourly intensity of 40–70 mm.

The provincial Water Resources Department issued a yellow mountain-torrent warning for 14 counties across six prefectures and a blue warning for 57 counties in 14 prefectures, ordering responsible personnel on duty, enhanced patrols and the timely transfer of threatened residents. Beijing Daily, republishing CCTV News, reported that Sichuan issued its first geological disaster orange warning of 2026 — a Level II alert — for five counties and cities in Mianyang and Guangyuan: Jiangyou, Beichuan and Pingwu, as well as Lizhou and Qingchuan. Yellow geological warnings were issued for 59 counties.

Rainfall has been intense. From 08:00 July 30 to 08:00 July 31, the heaviest reading was 223 mm at the Dengjia resettlement site in Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County, Mianyang, according to Guangming Online, citing Sichuan Release. As of 07:00 July 31, 40,989 people had been pre-emptively evacuated in the preceding 24 hours across 15 prefectures and 85 counties, with the largest totals in Ya’an (15,158), Mianyang (7,855) and Leshan (6,081). Since the start of the 2026 flood season, Sichuan has carried out 727,504 person-times of pre-emptive evacuation. Heavy rain also triggered one geological disaster in Guangyuan, where prompt evacuations avoided five potential casualties.

In Mianyang, the Wudu Reservoir — the only controlling water project on the Fujiang River basin — began pre-release discharge on the afternoon of July 30, opening two sluice gates with an average flow of 400–600 cubic meters per second to create additional flood storage capacity.

Analysis

The escalation to Level III reflects compounding risks across Sichuan’s mountainous north and west, where torrential rain can quickly trigger flash floods, landslides and debris flows. Pre-emptive evacuation has become the central protective strategy, and the scale of movement — more than 40,000 people in a single day — underscores the severity of this year’s rainy season. With summer tourism at its peak, provincial authorities also issued four-point travel advisories urging the public to monitor warnings, avoid driving through flooded roads, steer clear of wild scenic spots and cooperate with evacuation orders.

What’s Next

The rain is not over. Guangming Online reported that precipitation is expected to continue in the coming days in Mianyang, Guangyuan and elsewhere, with Wudu Reservoir set to keep monitoring conditions and adjusting discharge to play its flood-peak-reduction role. Authorities remain on alert for further geological hazards, and the public has been urged to stay vigilant as the province works through the critical flood-season window.