Typhoon Saudel brought days of intense rainfall to parts of south‑east China, prompting authorities to move hundreds of thousands of people out of flood‑prone areas and triggering widespread damage to homes and infrastructure.
Heavy rain and evacuations
Cities and counties across Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian and Guangdong provinces were hit by torrential downpours. The city of Putian in Fujian province recorded 416.5 mm of rain in a 24‑hour period between Thursday and Friday, while surrounding villages reported more than 500 mm over the same interval. Officials in Fujian said nearly 600,000 people were evacuated from high‑risk areas, and a further 128,000 people were affected across Jiangxi province, with emergency evacuations carried out for about 9,000 individuals.
Flooding, rescues and landslides
Floodwaters, landslips and damage to infrastructure were reported across the region. In Zhejiang province, more than 2,500 teachers and students were trapped inside a school compound in Wenzhou after extreme rainfall caused flash floods in low‑lying zones. In Putian, at least 1,260 people were reportedly rescued after a river embankment collapsed on Thursday, an event that flattened roughly 100 homes. In Jiangxi’s Suichuan county a landslip was reported to have killed three people.
Wider regional weather impacts
Beyond China, weather systems brought disruptive conditions elsewhere. North‑west South Africa experienced thunderstorms, while central and southern parts of the United States faced oppressive heat during the same period, stretching emergency services and affecting communities.
Response and outlook
Local authorities in the affected Chinese provinces mobilised rescue teams and emergency services to assist with evacuations, rescues and repair work. Damage assessments and relief operations were ongoing as officials monitored waterways and slopes for further risks while advising residents in vulnerable areas to follow evacuation orders and safety guidance.