The severe floods in China have affected more than 38 million families leaving more than 140 people dead. Many rivers, including the Yangtze, have swelled following weeks of torrential rain. The flooding has destroyed more than 28,000 buildings and the cost of the damage has been estimated at 82.2 billion yuan ($11.7 billion).Rains have been continuous in many parts of China since mid-June and alerts have been issued on 433 rivers in total, officials from the Ministry of Water Resources said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on the country's citizens to take all necessary precautions to ensure their safety. Damage has been estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Following coronavirus-related shutdowns and the shutdowns of overseas markets, flood damage poses a new threat to China's economy. Hubei province, where Wuhan is located, is particularly severely affected as the Yangtze flows through the province. Wuhan was the epicenter of China's coronavirus outbreak and experienced one of the country's longest lockdowns. China's emergency management ministry is sending aid to the province in the form of assault boats, tents, folding beds and blankets.