China's Guangdong evacuates nearly 40,000 amid sustained heavy rain

GUANGZHOU -- A total of 37,601 residents in high-risk areas have been relocated so far as heavy rain lashed many parts of South China's Guangdong province over the past days, local authorities said.

No casualties have been reported, according to the provincial emergency management department.

A Level III flood control emergency response and Level IV disaster relief emergency response have been issued and maintained in the province as of Wednesday. Multiple cities, including Zhuhai and Shenzhen, have issued notices suspending school classes. The China Railway Guangzhou Group has adjusted train operation schedules to avoid safety risks caused by the rainfall.

Since June 12, the Guangdong Fire and Rescue Corps has deployed 247 firefighters, 53 fire trucks and 37 boats in key cities on standby. The Guangdong Provincial Department of Water Resources has dispatched 41,768 patrols for dykes and reservoirs. The provincial communications administration has deployed 7,226 emergency maintenance personnel, 2,994 support vehicles and 2,108 generators for disaster relief.

Local governments have also rolled out targeted measures tailored to local risk characteristics.

The provincial meteorological observatory forecast that heavy-to-torrential rain, as well as local extreme downpours, will continue to hit southern Guangdong from Wednesday to Thursday. Precipitation will generally weaken across the province from Friday to Saturday.