China tornadoes and floodwaters hit Guangxi over the weekend as Typhoon Maysak swept through the region, sending rivers over their banks and breaking dam walls. By Monday, at least four people had died in Guangxi, and residents in Nanning were calling for rescue from rooftops.
The official count put the evacuation total at 60,000 people and the number affected at least 90,000. Zhou, a resident from Renhe, said her family members were still trapped in their homes and that her four-month-old niece had gone more than a day without milk.
Renhe village in Guangxi
Heavy rain began falling on Renhe village on Sunday. By the early hours of Monday, the water had reached knee height; by dawn, the first floor of homes was completely submerged.
Zhou described the pace of the flooding in direct terms: "The floods happened so rapidly, the water just came so fast. The villagers didn't have time to take food with them when they were running away". She said other villagers were gathering at higher ground but were running out of supplies.
Hubei tornadoes and heavy rain
Typhoon Maysak also triggered thunderstorms and tornadoes in Hubei, where state media said at least 17 people died and hundreds more people were injured. Typhoons that bring widespread flooding are common in China at this time of year, but state media described Maysak as having a sudden onset and intense, short-duration winds.
That combination made the storm unusual even before the floodwater spread through Guangxi and Hubei. Xi Jinping ordered all out rescue and relief operations after the damage widened across both areas.
Rescue work in Nanning
Authorities in Nanning warned that extremely heavy rain could hamper rescue efforts while operations continued. Zhou said, "Other villagers are gathering at higher ground, but they are running out of supplies as well. There are too many villages affected, and not enough rescue workers."
Typhoon Maysak was the first typhoon to make landfall in China for the 2026 season, while Super Typhoon Bavi was churning across the Pacific and forecast to hit China's eastern coast later that week.
