Flooding swamps roads and strands residents in northern China after Typhoon Bavi

BEIJING: Severe flooding inundated streets in parts of northern and northeastern China after Typhoon Bavi brought heavy rain and strong winds, with roads submerged, cars swept away and transport services disrupted.

In Hebei province, floodwaters in Kuancheng county rose to more than two metres on some roads, according to a resident account carried by local official media. Kuancheng, which lies along the Luan River and has a population of about 240,000, was among the worst-hit areas. Videos circulating on social media showed several vehicles colliding as they floated on a flooded road before being carried off by fast-moving water.

State broadcaster CCTV reported that around 1,800 villagers in Kuancheng were stranded. Authorities said their priority was to relocate and resettle affected residents. In neighbouring Liaoning province, officials issued the highest-level red alert for flash floods, warning of very high risks as the storm system continued to affect the region.

Typhoon Bavi, described as the strongest storm to hit mainland China this year, lashed the country’s eastern coast before pushing inland. Authorities warned that the system could bring torrential rain to Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu and Anhui, worsening flood threats in places already saturated by earlier rainfall.

Hebei authorities said on WeChat that emergency restrictions must be fully enforced during the weather alert.

During a red alert for heavy rain, all work stoppages, business closures, and gatherings must be fully implemented

Social media footage from Liaoning’s capital, Shenyang, showed the depth of flooding in urban areas. One video posted on RedNote, known in China as Xiaohongshu, showed a person swimming backstroke along a road lined with parked vehicles whose roofs were barely visible above the water. Another clip showed a person using a paddleboard to move through flooded streets.

China Railway said on Monday that many train services in Shenyang had been suspended, with more than 30 railway sections affected. Schools were also closed in several areas, including across much of Jilin province, as authorities sought to limit public exposure to the severe weather.

CCTV, citing the Central Meteorological Observatory, reported that some parts of northeastern China could also see thunderstorms or hailstorms with winds of Force 8 or above. Parts of central and northern Jiangsu could face thunderstorm winds at level 10 or higher, with maximum winds reaching Force 11 and the possibility of localised tornadoes.

China’s Ministry of Water Resources said 46 rivers across the country were flowing above warning levels.