Days of torrential rain have triggered flash floods and landslides across China’s Shaanxi Province, destroying homes, cutting off roads and communications, and leaving at least three villagers missing in one community.
In a village in Xingping Township, Zhashui County, floodwaters surged suddenly on Aug. 5 after days of rain caused landslides and debris to block a river channel, according to residents who spoke to The Epoch Times on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal.
One male resident who returned home from outside the area on Aug. 7 estimated that nearly two-thirds of the homes in Yezhugou village had sustained some damage.
“The flood was very big,” he told The Epoch Times.
Yezhugou is located in a narrow ravine, leaving residents with little time or space to escape when floodwaters and debris rush down the mountains.
His disabled father and grandfather, who is in his 80s, were forced to flee up a mountain during the flooding and remained there for two days and two nights. From the hillside, they watched their home being swept away.
“There has never been such a big flood before,” the man said.
With roads destroyed, he walked with his family out of the ravine on Aug. 7 toward the county seat to seek safety.
He said the main ravine was still receiving some alerts and relief supplies, but roads leading into smaller side ravines had been cut off, and communications had failed. No one had come to assist residents in his area, and there was no designated safe location where villagers could gather.
“Right now, the first thing is to save ourselves,” he said.
Although the water level had fallen, he remained worried that additional rainfall could trigger another disaster.
Another Yezhugou resident told The Epoch Times that the village was left in severe disarray after the disaster.
“It’s a complete mess. The houses were badly damaged, and three people were swept away. They still haven’t been found,” she said.
Most of those who remained in the ravine were elderly, she said.
Electricity and internet service were cut off as the floodwaters rose, isolating residents from the outside world. Several bridges were washed away. Some homes remained standing but had their foundations undermined by the floodwaters, while many others were inundated.
Another Yezhugou resident similarly told The Epoch Times that homes had either been completely swept away or partially destroyed, and that three people remained missing.
The flooding came after several days of heavy rainfall. According to the Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency, the county experienced continuous rainfall from July 30 through Aug. 5.
Authorities also reported that a resident in Xingping Township was buried by a mudslide on Aug. 5 while clearing accumulated water near a home. One person was killed, and two others were reported missing.
The widespread damage has raised concerns among residents in affected mountainous areas that further rainfall could trigger additional landslides and flash floods, particularly where roads, bridges, and communications infrastructure have already been damaged.
