Over 700,000 people affected by heavy rainfall in E.China's Anhui

More than 700,000 people have been affected by heavy rainfall in East China's Anhui Province as of 4 pm on Wednesday, according to the Anhui emergency management authorities, with a total of 177,000 people being relocated. 

Heavy to torrential rain occurred in the mountainous areas of southern Anhui from 6 pm on Tuesday to Wednesday, with some areas of Huangshan city experiencing rainstorms. Water conditions in Anhui's major rivers and lakes are generally stable at present. Having been influenced by the inflow of water from the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, the water level of the main stream continues to rise. 

Many netizens from Huangshan, a popular tourist destination in Anhui, commented on Chinese social media platforms that some tourist attractions had temporarily closed due to the torrential rains. They called on tourists to change their travel arrangements to avoid Huangshan.

Local authorities coordinated frontline emergency teams on Wednesday, with a total of 494 people involved. A total of 318 people from various parties were mobilized, and 40 sets of excavators, forklifts and other equipment were deployed to carry out the work of clearing roads, draining water and moving materials in various areas. 

Local agricultural departments organized for 19,300 technical guidance staff to serve the affected areas. They also reinforced 15,400 damaged agricultural facilities, drained 370,000 mu (24,67 hectares) of water from fields, and distributed 630 anti-epidemic and disinfectant medicine sets. 

The public security organs have deployed 14,600 personnel and 2,406 vehicles and boats. The province's fire and rescue teams have also mobilized a total of 2,429 firefighters and rescue personnel, 468 firefighting vehicles and 149 boats, evacuating and rescuing 3,534 people. 

The local meteorological observatory continued to issue a yellow rainstorm warning at 9 am on Wednesday. From 8 pm on Wednesday to Thursday, the southern part of the Dabie Mountains region and some areas along the river have had torrential rain and some local rainstorms, accompanied by thunder and lightning. 

The local departments will also continue to urge cities including Huangshan, Chizhou, Xuancheng, and Anqing to strengthen preparations, including use of satellite phone equipment and inspection of defenses.

Departments will move people in dangerous areas in a timely and decisive manner, pay close attention to water conditions of the Yangtze River, and urge the cities along the river to conduct evacuation preparations in advance. 

According to a previous report, Huangshan activated its emergency Level II response for flood control on June 21, following continuous heavy rain.