Southern China braces for more rain, Chongqing landslide search continues

BEIJING – China’s meteorological authority on July 19 issued a heavy rain alert for parts of southern China, following a warning a day earlier of mountain flood risks in areas like Chongqing and Yunnan, and potential emergency evacuations in vulnerable places.Cutting south China diagonally, the sprawling rain belt stretches from the south-western province of Yunnan to the Yangtze River Delta in China’s eastern coast.Rail authorities suspended some passenger trains on the Shanghai-Kunming railway on July 19 due to heavy rain, state broadcaster CCTV reported.In Yunnan, several scenic spots including the Tiger Leaping Gorge were temporarily closed following heavy rain over the weekend.Parts of south-western Guangxi region, still recovering from the impact of Typhoon Maysak earlier in July, was bracing for a new round of rain through July 21.Hydrological authorities in Guangxi’s Baise said some rivers rose by 1m to 3m over the past 24 hours, CCTV reported on July 19.A rain-triggered landslide in a county in south-west China’s Chongqing on July 17 has killed eight people, while rescuers are still racing to find 34 people who remain missing. REUTERS