Guizhou Province Activates Level III Emergency Response Amidst Heavy Rain Forecast

The provincial meteorological authorities in Guizhou, located in Southwest China, have implemented a Level III emergency response to address potential meteorological disasters resulting from heavy rainstorms. This decision took effect at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, as the region braces for a new wave of rain that is expected to impact various areas in the province over the following two days, with rainfall predictions ranging from heavy to torrential storms.

Recent reports indicate that from 8 am Tuesday to 8 am Wednesday, several county-level regions, including Qixingguan, Dafang, and Xiuwen, experienced intense rainfall, with 34 counties reporting heavy rain. By 11:00 am on Wednesday, the provincial meteorological observatory had escalated its previous blue alert to a yellow alert, warning of impending rainstorms in areas such as Guiyang, Liupanshui, Anshun, and Tongren, with certain regions likely facing torrential rain.

With soils already close to saturation, authorities have expressed concerns regarding the high likelihood of secondary disasters, namely mountain torrents, landslides, and mudslides, due to the heavy rainfall overlaying previously affected zones. To manage flood risks, China utilizes a structured four-tier emergency response system, where Level I represents the highest severity, and a similar four-tier weather warning system with red indicating the most critical alerts, followed by orange, yellow, and blue alerts.