Chinese authorities announced Thursday that Tropical Storm Maysak has left 39 people dead after catastrophic flooding struck southern China.
The bulk of the fatalities — 26 in total — were the result of a dam breach in Nanning, a city in the Guangxi region. Ding Wei, the city’s vice mayor, shared those details during a news briefing.
Maysak delivered record-breaking rainfall to the region, overwhelming reservoirs and leaving residents stranded for days inside homes and other structures. Prior to Thursday’s update, officials had reported only six deaths.
A large-scale relief effort has been launched, with drones and thousands of boats deployed to reach those still trapped by floodwaters. Approximately 130,000 people have been evacuated from affected areas.
