Rescue operations underway after heavy rainstorm hits southwest China, 9 dead 11 missing

An aerial drone photo taken on May 25, 2026 shows the rescue site of the flood-hit area after a heavy rainstorm hit Yongchuan District in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

Record-breaking torrential rain battered Yongchuan District in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality from late Saturday to Sunday, triggering flash floods, landslides and mudslides. Rescue operations are still underway as multiple towns and subdistricts suffered severe damage.

The China National Commission for Disaster Reduction on Sunday activated a Level-IV emergency response for floods and geological disasters in Chongqing.

A work team has been dispatched to the disaster-hit areas to assess the situation on the ground and assist local disaster relief efforts, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

As of 6 p.m. Monday, authorities had evacuated 697 residents in Yongchuan to safety, while another 1,444 people had been swiftly relocated and resettled.

(Xinhua)