Last Updated: September 24, 2026

Seven Killed due to Heavy Rainfall in China’s Hunan Province

May 23, 2026

Beijing: The number of people killed in heavy rainfall in Shimen County, Hunan Province in central China has risen to seven, while 14 people remain missing, according to local authorities.

Among the missing, five were added following further investigation, according to the county’s emergency management and production safety committee. Search and rescue operations are underway.

Rescues and Recovery Operations Continue After Hunan Flooding

The rain started at seven in the morning on Sunday. It is the first round of torrential rain to hit the county this year. A total of 23 townships and districts have been affected, according to the municipal emergency management bureau of Changde City, which administers Shimen.

Search and rescue operations are underway, alongside efforts to repair damaged infrastructure and guarantee daily necessities for affected residents. The National Development and Reform Commission said on Wednesday that it has urgently allocated 50 million yuan (about 7.31 million US dollars) from the central government’s investment budget to support post-flood emergency recovery efforts in Hunan Province. Some areas in Hunan have been hit by severe flooding, resulting in heavy casualties and property losses.

Continuous heavy rainfall has lashed the province’s Shimen County, leaving five people dead and 11 others missing, according to local authorities.

China sends relief supplies to flood-hit areas

The Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) said Wednesday authorities also shipped 15,000 pieces of disaster relief supplies to the central province of Hubei as heavy rains and flooding continued to batter the region.

The disaster aid package, which includes summer quilts, folding tables and chairs, and household emergency kits, will help local authorities resettle affected residents, provide relief assistance and ensure their basic living needs are met.

The supplies were allocated by the office of the national commission for disaster prevention, reduction and relief the MEM and the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration.