Fears entire city of 127m could be wiped out by ‘once in a century’ flood

Fears in China are growing of a major flood disaster in southern China, that could leave millions without homes.

Already eleven people have been confirmed as dead, in what is being described as a “once in a century” horror event, which has already hit the city of Qingyuan in the Guangdong Province.

Videos posted to social media show fast-moving torrents washing away walls and bridges.

Further images depict deserted streets in Guangdong city – home to 127 million people – under several metres of water.

Almost 60,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in the coastal city in southern China.

A 12-hour barrage of torrential rain has caused major rivers to burst their banks, as authorities struggle to cope with the emergency.

A river in northern Guangdong province could hit a “once in 100 years” peak later on Monday.

The intense downpour caught many people by surprise, who shared their terrifying experiences on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.

One user said: “It rained like a waterfall for one and a half hours on the highway when I was driving home last night. I couldn’t see the road at all.”

Around 1.16 million households across the province lost power over the weekend, but 80 percent had their electricity restored by Sunday night.

Numerous houses have collapsed or been significantly damaged. Authorities estimate around 140.6m yuan (£15.8m) in damages so far.

There would appear to be no immediate relief from the deluge, with forecasters predicting more heavy rain until Tuesday.

In neighbouring Guangxi, west of Guangdong, violent hurricane-like winds whipped the region, destroying buildings, state media video footage showed.

Some places have also experienced hailstones and major flooding, CCTV said.

In another video, rescuers could be seen trying to save an elderly person clinging to a tree half-submerged in floodwaters.

65 landslides were recorded in the city of Hezhou located in Guangxi, state media reported.