Typhoon Saudel Triggers Mass Evacuations in China

Published: 07 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Typhoon Saudel has caused widespread flooding, landslides and infrastructure damage across parts of south-east China, forcing hundreds of thousands of residents to evacuate as torrential rainfall overwhelmed rivers, roads and vulnerable communities. The storm has also been accompanied by severe weather elsewhere, with powerful thunderstorms affecting north-western South Africa and a prolonged spell of oppressive heat gripping parts of the central and southern United States.

Saudel brought several days of exceptionally heavy rain to Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian and Guangdong provinces last week, creating dangerous conditions across a broad area. Fujian was among the worst-hit regions, where authorities moved large numbers of people from flood-prone areas as rivers rose and the risk of further flooding increased.

The scale of the rainfall was particularly striking in Putian, a city in Fujian province. Weather monitoring recorded 416.5mm of rain within a 24-hour period between Thursday and Friday. Some surrounding villages received more than 500mm during the same period, placing enormous pressure on drainage systems, rivers and flood-control infrastructure.

Authorities in Fujian estimated that almost 600,000 people were evacuated from areas considered vulnerable to flooding and other storm-related hazards. The mass movement of residents reflected the seriousness of the situation, with emergency agencies working to reduce the risk of casualties in communities located near rivers, low-lying areas and unstable slopes.

Jiangxi province was also significantly affected. Around 128,000 people across 53 counties were reported to have been affected by the storm, while emergency evacuations were carried out for approximately 9,000 residents. Heavy rain increased the threat of flash flooding and landslides, particularly in rural and mountainous areas where access can become difficult during extreme weather.

The storm caused major disruption to daily life, with flooding and landslips damaging roads and other infrastructure. In Zhejiang, more than 2,500 teachers and students became trapped inside a school compound in the city of Wenzhou after intense rainfall caused flash flooding in low-lying areas. The incident demonstrated how quickly extreme rainfall can overwhelm urban drainage systems and leave large groups of people isolated.

Putian experienced another major emergency when a river embankment collapsed on Thursday. The failure of the embankment triggered destructive flooding and reportedly resulted in at least 1,260 people needing rescue. Around 100 homes were flattened as floodwaters spread through the affected area, leaving residents dependent on emergency responders for assistance.

The danger continued even after the heaviest rainfall had passed. On Saturday, a landslide struck a village in Suichuan county in Jiangxi province, killing three people. Nine others were reported missing following the landslip, underlining the continuing threat posed by saturated ground in mountainous areas.

When soil becomes heavily waterlogged after prolonged rainfall, slopes can become unstable and collapse with little warning. Such hazards can remain active after a storm has moved away, particularly in areas where hillsides have been weakened by intense precipitation.

Saudel is the seventh typhoon to affect China this year, adding to a season of repeated extreme weather events. The storm arrived only a short time after Typhoon Narra brought heavy rain to Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi late last month. The successive systems have placed additional pressure on emergency services and communities that have already faced severe rainfall and flooding.

The latest disaster has also renewed attention on the vulnerability of densely populated areas in south-east China to intense tropical weather. The region contains major cities, extensive agricultural areas and large transport networks, meaning that extreme rainfall can quickly generate consequences extending far beyond the immediate storm zone.

While China dealt with torrential rain and flooding, South Africa faced a different form of severe weather. The South African Weather Service issued several thunderstorm warnings late last week covering a large part of the country’s northern and western provinces.

The warnings included risks associated with disruptive rainfall, damaging winds, excessive lightning and hail. Some parts of the Northern Cape and North West provinces were expected to receive rainfall totals of between 75mm and 100mm over the weekend, creating the possibility of localised flooding and damage.

Johannesburg also experienced the effects of strong winds. Eight families were evacuated from an apartment building after powerful gusts tore away a substantial section of its roof. The incident highlighted the risks posed by severe thunderstorms in urban environments, where damaged buildings can quickly become unsafe for residents.

Thunderstorms can produce multiple hazards simultaneously. Heavy rainfall can overwhelm drainage systems, strong winds can damage roofs and structures, lightning can create serious safety risks, while hail can cause damage to vehicles, homes and agricultural crops. The combination can make severe-weather events particularly difficult for emergency authorities and residents to manage.

Meanwhile, large parts of the central and southern United States have been dealing with a markedly different weather threat: prolonged and oppressive heat.

States across the central-southern Plains and the Mississippi Valley experienced very high temperatures over the weekend, with maximum temperatures reaching the high 30s Celsius, equivalent to the upper 90s Fahrenheit. High humidity made conditions considerably more dangerous because the human body becomes less effective at cooling itself when the atmosphere contains large amounts of moisture.

As a result, heat indices in parts of the region approached approximately 40C to 43C, or around 105F to 110F. These readings indicate how hot conditions can feel to the human body when both temperature and humidity are taken into account.

The extreme heat is expected to persist across parts of the Midwest and southern United States during the week ahead. Maximum temperatures are forecast to remain in the high 30s Celsius in affected areas, meaning residents may face several consecutive days of dangerous heat rather than a short-lived temperature spike.

Persistent heat can place significant stress on the human body, particularly among older people, young children and those working or exercising outdoors. It can also increase pressure on electricity systems as demand for air conditioning rises, while dry conditions in some areas can contribute to wildfire risks.

The contrasting weather emergencies across China, South Africa and the United States demonstrate the wide range of hazards that can develop simultaneously in different parts of the world. In China, the primary threats have come from torrential rainfall, flooding and landslides. South Africa has been dealing with thunderstorms, destructive winds, lightning and hail, while the United States is confronting prolonged extreme heat and dangerous humidity.

For communities affected by Saudel, however, the immediate priority remains recovery. Emergency teams have been carrying out rescues and evacuations while authorities assess damage to homes, roads, river embankments and other infrastructure. The loss of lives and continuing reports of missing people have added urgency to search and rescue efforts.

The experience also highlights the importance of early warning systems and rapid evacuation planning in regions exposed to tropical storms. With rainfall reaching extraordinary levels within only a day, even well-prepared communities can find themselves overwhelmed when rivers rise rapidly and protective infrastructure fails.

As the typhoon season continues, authorities across vulnerable parts of China are likely to remain focused on monitoring rainfall, river levels and slope stability. The repeated arrival of tropical systems has made preparedness increasingly important, particularly for communities living in floodplains and mountainous terrain.

At the same time, severe thunderstorms in South Africa and continuing heat across the United States underline the broader challenge faced by communities around the world as extreme weather produces different threats across different regions. From flooding and landslides to damaging storms and dangerous heat, the latest events show how rapidly weather conditions can shift from a routine forecast into a major public safety emergency.