Chongqing - Authorities in Chongqing activated emergency flood-response measures, deployed thousands of rescue personnel, and issued widespread weather alerts after heavy rainfall triggered flooding across multiple districts during China's annual college entrance examinations.
The flooding occurred at the start of China’s summer flood season, when monsoon systems bring heavy rainfall to the Yangtze River region. Chongqing’s mountainous terrain makes it particularly vulnerable to flash floods and waterlogging.
Volunteers set up caution tape to help maintain safety in a flood-affected area. (Photo/Hechuan District)
The intense rainstorm swept across much of Chongqing from the evening of June 6 through June 7, bringing thunderstorms, torrential rain, and, in some areas, extreme downpours. Local authorities said they continuously assessed rainfall, water levels, and geological hazards, adjusting emergency response levels as conditions evolved.
On June 6, Chongqing's Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters launched a Level IV flood emergency response in 34 districts and counties, including Beibei, Hechuan, and Wulong. As rainfall intensified on the morning of June 7, flood-response levels in Hechuan and Pengshui were upgraded to Level II.
Meteorological authorities issued 176 weather warnings related to rainstorms, lightning, strong winds, and hail by 8 a.m. on June 7. A total of 357 warning text messages were sent, reaching approximately 990,000 people. Emergency broadcasts were transmitted more than 32,000 times, while cable television alerts reached nearly 3.7 million viewers.
Officials said local governments also used China's "warning plus action" system, which distributes both weather alerts and emergency instructions directly to responsible personnel. More than 18,500 industry emergency managers and nearly 387,000 grassroots emergency workers received notices during the storm.
The severe weather coincided with the start of China's annual college entrance examination, known as the gaokao. The exam is widely viewed as a critical gateway to higher education and future career opportunities.
Authorities implemented special measures at all 112 examination sites across Chongqing. More than 560 professional rescuers and 106 emergency vehicles were positioned near testing locations to provide rapid response if needed.
Students enter an examination site in an orderly manner on the first day of China’s national college entrance exam, or gaokao, in Hechuan District, Chongqing. (Photo/Hechuan District)
Across the municipality, nearly 18,000 emergency rescue personnel and more than 2,000 vehicles remained on standby.
By midday on June 7, emergency management authorities had dispatched 65 members of provincial-level rescue teams and more than 20 large drainage units to support flood-control operations in Hechuan District, one of the areas most heavily affected by flooding.
At a major flooded intersection in Hechuan, authorities estimated that approximately 50,000 cubic meters of water had accumulated. Emergency crews combined drainage equipment with sewer-clearing operations to remove floodwater. By 3 p.m., water had been pumped out, and traffic had resumed, with cleanup and disinfection work continuing.
Workers clear silt from a street in Hechuan District after heavy rainfall. (Photo/Hechuan District)
As conditions worsened, Hechuan upgraded its flood-response level to Level I, the highest emergency category. Local authorities mobilized 32 comprehensive rescue teams and nine specialized emergency units. Officials reported that 452 residents had been evacuated as a precaution, including 422 people relocated before rainfall intensified. No casualties were reported.
In Wulong District, emergency management officials said that between 8 p.m. on June 6 and 4 p.m. on June 7, rainfall at 16 monitoring stations across seven townships reached levels classified as extreme rainstorms. Authorities evacuated 995 people, including 880 residents, during the rainfall event. No disaster-related deaths or missing persons were reported.
Meteorologists said the storm system resulted from the interaction between cold air and a low-pressure shear line, creating a rainfall event that meteorologists described as having "certain extreme characteristics."
Rainfall is expected to weaken significantly on June 8, according to the Chongqing Meteorological Service, although scattered showers are forecast to continue in parts of central, western and southeastern Chongqing. Most areas are expected to see temperatures between 17 and 23 degrees Celsius.