The deluge continues: Incredible amounts of rainfall in countries from Africa across Arabia, Indo Pakistan, Myanmar, China and Japan since early June have killed hundreds and affected tens of millions people.

Map, Earthwindmap

The deluge continues, stretching thousands of miles torrential downpours have been dumping incredible amounts of rainfall in countries from Africa across Arabia, Indo Pakistan, Myanmar, China and Japan since early June and in some areas, the rains are increasing.

It is estimated more than 60 people have died with more missing after landslides triggered by incredible amounts of rain have devasted Southwestern Japan this week. A further 250,000 have been ordered to evacuate their homes as torrential rains continued to hit Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu, with river banks at risk of bursting and more rain forecast for today with new evacuation orders put in place. Evacuation centres are under pressure maintaining social distancing preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Japan's neighbours, China have suffered record rainfall which started back on June 1st and have accumulated rainfall in the regions of Hubei, Anhui, Zhejiang and Chongqing has reached the highest levels for this time of year since 1961, with rainfall in some places two to three times higher than normal, according to the China Meteorological Administration, resulting in the deaths of more than a 100 people and affected nearly 20 million. Today, a further 9 people died China’s Hubei province after the torrential rains caused a landslide. Torrential rains in the Yangtze river basin coupled with the release billions of tons of floodwater from the massive Three Gorges hydroelectric dam upstream have left major cities along the river submerged after record rainfall. 

China's neighbour India has fared no better, yesterday monsoon rains caused floods and landslides in Gujarat and Karnataka killing two. The flood situation continues in the state of Assam, northeast India, where disaster authorities say more than 1.4 million people are now affected. Rivers have been overflowing in the state since the middle of June in the current spate of flooding. Since then nearly 2 million people in 2,235 villages across 23 districts have been affected. Barpeta is still the worst-hit district, with 486,709 now people affected, an increase from 135,415 on 2 days earlier. Areas of South Salmara district have recently flooded, with 195,312 people affected. Other hard-hit areas include Dhemaji, Nalbari, Morigaon and Goalpara districts, all with between 70,000 and 100,000 residents affected.

In India's neighbour, Bangladesh rivers are above danger levels in 14 locations across the country. Seven locations are at warning level. Local media report thousands of people in Jamalpur, Kurigram and Gaibandha districts are marooned or displaced, with their homes and land submerged. According to the Dhaka Tribune, over 100,000 people in Jamalpur district have been marooned after floodwaters surrounded their homes. Over 150,000 of people in Kurigram have been affected by flooding, with wide areas of crops underwater. As of 30 June, FFWC reports that that the Brahmaputra river at Noonkhawa in Kurigram stood at 27.14 metres, above the danger mark of 26.5 metres and the Dharla in Kurigram stood at 27.46 metres, where danger levels are 26.5 metres. 

In Pakistan Stormy weather and heavy rain caused havoc in the city of Karachi. At least 6 people have died in rain-related incidents. Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) reported 43 mm of rain in Saddar, Karachi, on 07 July. PAF Faisal Base recorded 26mm of rain and Nazimabad 22mm.

A landslide caused by monsoon rains in Myanmar has killed no less than 113 people, the country's emergency services said on Thursday. Earlier in the day, the Xinhua news agency reported a death toll of 96. The landslide came at about 8 a.m. local time (1:30 GMT) at a jade mine near the Hpakant township, located in the Kachin state. The actual number of casualties is likely to be much larger, as the incident occurred during working hours, meaning that hundreds of people could be buried at the mining site. "The latest information on the landslide in Hpakant:113 dead. The rescue works continue," the country's fire department wrote on Facebook. Myanmar's landscape is known for being prone to landslides, especially during rainy seasons.

At least 9 people have died after heavy rain triggered landslides and flash flooding in central and western Nepal. According to Nepal’s disaster management authorities, 2 people died and 7 families were affected after a landslide struck in Ishma Rural Municipality of Gulmi district on 02 July 2020. In a separate incident, 1 person is missing after a landslide in Musikot Municipality, also in Gulmi, on the same day. The following day, heavy rain triggered flooding in Aadarsha Rural Municipality of Doti District, affecting 26 families. A few days later, one person died in a landslide in the Purbichauki Rural Municipality of the district on 05 July according to Floodlist.


Climate Change 2020

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