A dike breach in the Juanshui River in central China’s Hunan Province has led to the evacuation of thousands of residents. The breach occurred around 8 p.m. on Sunday in Yisuhe Township of Xiangtan County and had widened to about 77 meters by 3:58 a.m. on Monday, according to the flood control and drought relief headquarters of Xiangtan City.

The incident has affected the villages of Xintang and Xinhu, with 3,832 residents evacuated as of 7:30 a.m. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported. To accommodate the displaced people, local authorities have arranged for four schools to provide essential supplies, including drinking water, food, and healthcare materials, as reported by Hunan Daily.

China’s Ministry of Emergency Management has called for swift action to evacuate the affected residents, mobilize necessary personnel, materials, and equipment, and ensure the safety of both locals and rescuers. Over 200 rescuers and 110 units of equipment have been dispatched for emergency support. Additionally, local firefighting authorities have sent 266 rescuers, 47 vehicles, and 37 boats to assist in the response.

In response to the severe flooding in Xiangtan and other areas of Hunan Province, the office of the National Disaster Reduction Commission and the ministry, along with the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, have allocated 15,000 central relief supplies, including mattresses, emergency kits, and quilts, to the flood-hit areas, as reported by China Media Group (CMG).

Another dike breach was reported on Sunday in Huashi Township, Xiangtan County, along another section of the Juanshui River, which flows into the Xiangjiang River, a major tributary of the Yangtze River. Evacuation and emergency response efforts are ongoing.

The ministry had warned on Saturday that Hunan would experience heavy rainstorms, with some parts of the province facing “extremely heavy rainstorms” from Saturday evening to Monday, due to the impact of Typhoon Gaemi.