Heavy Rains Spur Landslides in China’s Fujian, Killing Four; Two Missing

An aerial drone photo taken on 16 June 2024 shows a flooded area in Dongping Township of Zhenghe County, Nanping City, China's Fujian Province, 16 June 2024. (EPA/Xinhua)
An aerial drone photo taken on 16 June 2024 shows a flooded area in Dongping Township of Zhenghe County, Nanping City, China's Fujian Province, 16 June 2024. (EPA/Xinhua)
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Heavy Rains Spur Landslides in China’s Fujian, Killing Four; Two Missing

An aerial drone photo taken on 16 June 2024 shows a flooded area in Dongping Township of Zhenghe County, Nanping City, China's Fujian Province, 16 June 2024. (EPA/Xinhua)
An aerial drone photo taken on 16 June 2024 shows a flooded area in Dongping Township of Zhenghe County, Nanping City, China's Fujian Province, 16 June 2024. (EPA/Xinhua)

Torrential rain triggered landslides in China's Fujian province, killing four people and leaving two missing, state television CCTV reported on Monday.

Downpours in Wuping county since Sunday afternoon have caused 378 homes to collapse and prompted authorities to launch an emergency flood response. Fujian provincial meteorological bureau classified the storms as "extreme events," CCTV reported.

Over the past few days, heavy rain has inundated the province, breaking a historical record in Wuping county. Economic losses in the county totaled 415 million yuan ($57.19 million), state media reported.

Many parts of southern China have been impacted by rains over the past few days, with many localities issuing flood warnings and advisories.

In Jiangxi province from 8 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday, the average rainfall was 24 mm, with 288 weather stations in 56 counties recording considerable precipitation, state media said.

In Chongqing, the torrential rain caused water levels of five rivers to rise by 1 to 3 meters, according to CCTV.



Zelenskiy Presents New Joint Forces Commander to Ukraine Troops

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens to Ukrainian service members during his visit to a frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine June 26, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens to Ukrainian service members during his visit to a frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine June 26, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)
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Zelenskiy Presents New Joint Forces Commander to Ukraine Troops

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens to Ukrainian service members during his visit to a frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine June 26, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens to Ukrainian service members during his visit to a frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine June 26, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy presented the new joint forces commander on Wednesday to troops defending the eastern frontline region of Donetsk.

Zelenskiy announced on Monday he was appointing Brigadier-General Andriy Hnatov to the post, which involves strategic planning of operations, replacing Lieutenant-General Yuri Sodol who had faced criticism over serious military setbacks.

Hnatov's main tasks include "preserving as many fighters' lives as possible" while repelling the invading Russian forces, Zelenskiy said in a video address posted on social media.

One of his meetings during the trip addressed security and support for the people of the Donetsk region, including water provision, social issues and evacuation, Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app.

Zelenskiy recorded the video address against the backdrop of a city sign of Pokrovsk, along part of the front that has seen some of the most intense fighting during Russia's 28-month-long full-scale invasion.

In the video, he expressed surprise that some relevant government officials had not visited the region in six months or more.

"There will be a separate conversation in Kyiv, particularly with officials who must be here and in other areas near the frontline – in difficult communities where people need immediate solutions," Zelenskiy said. "Solutions that simply cannot be seen from Kyiv."

Zelenskiy and his army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi also listened to reports from frontline positions.

Ukraine's military has found itself on the back foot this spring as Russian forces opened a new front in the northeastern region of Kharkiv in May and continued to press Ukrainian forces in other directions.