A landslide in a mountainous area of central China has resulted in eight fatalities, state media reported on Sunday, as parts of the country were placed on high alert for severe weather.
Heavy rainfall triggered a deadly landslide in a village in Hunan province, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Four houses collapsed, and all eight missing individuals were found with no vital signs, the channel reported.
China has been experiencing extreme weather conditions and unusually high temperatures in recent months.
Climate change driven by human-emitted greenhouse gases is making extreme weather events more frequent and intense, with China being the world’s largest emitter. Meteorological authorities issued several red alerts — the highest in China’s four-tier warning system — for torrential rain on Sunday, including in Hubei and Anhui provinces.
Heavy downpours in southern and densely populated Guangdong province have caused floods and landslides, resulting in at least 38 deaths in China’s manufacturing heartland, state media reported.
While torrential rains have struck the south, northern China has experienced temperatures well above 35°C, including Beijing, where the mercury exceeded 40°C last week.
