China Evacuates Tourists as Mudslides Hit UNESCO Site

China has initiated the evacuation of tourists from Jiuzhaigou, a UNESCO Heritage Site located in Sichuan Province, due to mudslides caused by Typhoon Noul, which has brought heavy rainfall across southern and central China. Major tourist attractions within Jiuzhaigou were temporarily closed to ensure visitor safety.

The China’s Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration issued a red alert for flash floods, warning of severe risks in Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Gansu, and southeastern Xinjiang. This month, at least four fatal landslides have occurred nationwide, including a major landslide in Chongqing that resulted in 11 deaths and left 50 people missing.

Additionally, a landslide in Tanchang County, Gansu Province, killed 21 individuals, while flash floods in Weiyuan County claimed 10 lives and injured 23 others. The extreme weather coincides with China's peak flood-control period, Qixia Bashang, which lasts from mid-July to mid-August, with meteorologists predicting increased rainfall intensity in the coming weeks.