Tens of thousands of residents in southeastern China's Fujian province have been evacuated as relentless rains, brought on by Typhoon Haikui, wreaked havoc, breaking 12-year-old rainfall records.
The provincial capital, Fuzhou, has been particularly hard-hit, with weather officials issuing warnings as 49 reservoirs exceeded their flood limits.
The incessant downpours, which began on Tuesday, forced authorities to close schools and halt public transportation services across the province.
As floodwaters surged and rain continued to pour, more than 36,000 people were evacuated from their homes.
Also, power and communications infrastructure was reported damaged.
Putian and Quanzhou, along with four other cities in Fujian, have been flagged as high-risk areas for flash floods and landslides.
In response to the dire situation, the provincial government directed local authorities to prepare for further evacuations in these vulnerable areas with weather experts anticipating that the heavy rains will persist until Friday, impacting central and southern regions of Fujian province.
Typhoon Haikui, which initially swamped Taiwan before reaching southern China, was subsequently downgraded to a tropical storm, but its residual effects continue to disrupt the region.