Cities around the world are no strangers to riverine flooding. In December 2021, the four main rivers running through Kuala Lumpur hit dangerous levels, causing nearby rail lines to shut down and halting mobility across the city. In March this year, storms prompted flood warnings along Australia's east coast, including in Sydney. Thousands of residents had to flee their homes.
Last week, major flooding in southern China forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people. Parts of China have seen the worst flooding in decades with 500,000 homes damaged, roads collapsed and some houses swept away. In Jiangxi Province to the northeast, authorities raised a flood "red alert" after 485,000 people in nine districts were affected. Economic losses, according to Xinhua news agency, hit 470 million yuan (US$70.21 million), with 43,300 hectares of crops destroyed.
The summer rainy season brings floods to China almost every year but environmental groups say climate change is bringing heavier and more frequent downpours. Economic losses could mount if the floods cause disruption in the manufacture and distribution of Chinese goods, which play a vital part in global supply chains.
