Updated
Updated · Kyodo News Plus · Jul 28
China Evacuates Jiuzhaigou Tourists as Typhoon Noul Triggers Highest Flash-Flood Alert in 7 Regions
Updated
Updated · Kyodo News Plus · Jul 28

China Evacuates Jiuzhaigou Tourists as Typhoon Noul Triggers Highest Flash-Flood Alert in 7 Regions

3 articles · Updated · Kyodo News Plus · Jul 28

Summary

  • Jiuzhaigou evacuated stranded tourists on Monday after heavy rain set off mudslides, forcing temporary closures above Arrow Bamboo Lake and across the entire Zechawa Valley.
  • Typhoon Noul — China's strongest this year — drove torrential rain across southern and central regions, prompting a joint red flash-flood warning from Sunday night through Monday.
  • 7 regions were flagged as high risk: Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Gansu and southeastern Xinjiang.
  • At least 4 deadly landslides have hit China this month, including disasters in Chongqing, Gansu and Shanxi that killed dozens and left 50 missing.
  • China is now in its mid-July to mid-August peak flood-control period, with forecasters warning northern areas could see 20% to 50% more rain than usual in coming weeks.

Insights

Why did mudslides force a UNESCO site evacuation in Jiuzhaigou, and were China’s flood warnings fast enough to stay ahead of the danger?
What made Arrow Bamboo Lake and Zechawa Valley so vulnerable, and could better ecological protection reduce future evacuations in Jiuzhaigou?