• China has expanded economic safeguards for flood-affected populations.
• The government will now cover 70% of compensation for flood-related losses.
• Almost 1 million people were relocated during recent severe flooding in Hebei.
• Record rainfall measurements have created significant challenges for flood management.
• Guizhou experienced a flood event with a rarity of once in 50 years.

China is expanding the economic safeguards to support populations impacted by recent severe flooding, which was worsened by extreme rainfall. This includes promises of direct compensation from the central government and payments for losses related to livestock. The adjustments are particularly aimed at areas where floodwaters are diverted, often forcing people to vacate their homes and farms, leading to rising social tensions due to these necessary but disruptive measures, according to Channel News Asia, Reuters, and Dawn.

Recent revisions to the compensation rules stipulate that the central government will now bear 70% of all compensation costs, with local governments covering the remaining portion. Before this change, compensation distribution was determined based on the fiscal conditions of local governments and actual economic losses. This policy shift aims to alleviate the financial burden on affected local authorities and ensure timely support for relocated populations, according to Reuters and Dawn.

This summer, approximately 1 million people were relocated in Hebei province due to unprecedented rainfall, which forced officials to channel water away from rivers into populated areas, triggering public outrage over the flooding of homes and farmland. The move has raised questions about the long-term strategies for managing flood risks in urban areas, as China maintains 98 designated flood diversion areas across its major river basins, including the heavily populated Yangtze River basin, according to Channel News Asia and Dawn.

Since the onset of the East Asia monsoon in early June, areas along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River have recorded precipitation levels that are double the normal amounts. The China Meteorological Administration reported daily rainfall records breaking across 30 meteorological stations in regions like Hubei and Guizhou, and one city in Guizhou has recently experienced a flooding event deemed a once-in-50-year occurrence, shocking its residents and prompting immediate governmental action to enhance flood management strategies, according to Reuters and Dawn.