China Mudslide: 1 Dead, 11 Missing After Tropical Cyclone Saudel Rain

A deadly wall of earth and debris tore through a village in Suichuan County during the early hours of Saturday morning. The disaster in Jiangxi province left one person dead and 11 others missing following days of relentless downpours linked to tropical cyclone Saudel.

Early Morning Mudslide Buries Suichuan County Homes

Approximately a dozen homes sustained heavy damage when the mudslide struck. Emergency rescue teams deployed immediately to the location, relocating local residents to safer ground amid ongoing concerns regarding further instability and hazards in the region.

Authorities confirmed that one individual was pulled from the mud dead. Two others were successfully rescued alive and found to be in good condition.

Typhoon Saudel Triggers Relentless Regional Rain

The destructive weather battering Jiangxi province followed a series of landfalls by Typhoon Saudel. According to Xinhua, the storm initially struck Zhejiang province twice on August 28 before making a third landfall as a tropical storm in neighboring Fujian province on Thursday.

Catastrophic Flooding and Structural Collapses in Fujian

The impact across adjacent Fujian province was severe. Local authorities reported on Friday that multiple residents remained unaccounted for after continuous downpours lashed the area.

Photo: firstpost.com

In Putian city’s Huating Town, more than 100 houses collapsed under the strain of the weather. A local dike overtopped and breached on Thursday afternoon, releasing floodwaters into surrounding villages and trapping residents.

Mass Evacuations and Inflatable Boat Rescues

By Friday night, provincial authorities in Fujian had evacuated approximately 600,000 residents from high-risk offshore and onshore locations.

Footage broadcast by state broadcaster CCTV depicted major streets submerged beneath deep floodwaters. Emergency personnel utilized inflatable boats to navigate the inundated areas and conduct urgent rescue operations.