China's national meteorological observatory on Saturday issued a red alert for rainstorms, the most severe in its four-tier weather warning system, with authorities cautioning about possible geological disasters in rain-hit regions.
Some areas in Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Guizhou provinces are expected to be hit by downpours, with some regions likely to experience heavy rain of up to 280 mm within 24 hours until 14:00 Sunday, according to the National Meteorological Center forecast.
In response to recent weather conditions, the country's top meteorological authority and the Ministry of Natural Resources jointly issued alerts for geological disasters, warning that eastern and central provinces of Anhui and Hubei are prone to flash floods between Friday evening and Saturday evening, while parts of Hunan, Chongqing and Guizhou should also take precautionary measures against possible rain-induced geological disasters.
The Xijiang River in the Pearl River basin is experiencing its third flood of the year since Saturday morning.
The highest water level monitored by Wuzhou hydrological station in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region at a time when the flood peak arrived was 20.00 meters, exceeding the warning line by 1.5 meters. Currently, the water level of the Xijiang River is gradually dropping.
China issues highest-level alert for rainstorm
Hundreds of Palestinian families in the Shuja'iya neighborhood on the edge of Gaza have fled under intense shelling by Israeli tanks and air raids as Israeli forces have pushed deeper, attacking areas where they had previously withdrawn.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated on Sunday his position that Hamas must be eliminated, while a Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said no progress has been made in hostage swap and ceasefire talks with Israel.
Months ago, the Israeli army launched air strikes and raids in Shuja'iya district against Hamas. On June 27, Israeli forces were back again, going after what they said were terrorists.
Witnesses and doctors reported numerous casualties.
"We suddenly woke up to the sound of shells, explosions, and non-stop shooting. We fled our homes with our children. We don't know where to go. As you can see, we've become homeless on the streets, without shelter, and we have no help," said Umm Hussein, displaced Palestinian from Shuja'iya.
In west of Rafah, the situation does not seem any better. Renewed fighting on June 28 has left at least 11 dead, according to Palestinian health officials. Thousands of Palestinians have been forced to leave and head north.
"We were sitting in our tents and then rockets and shells rained down on us from every direction. Many fell there, wounded and killed. Some of them had their bodies torn apart. There was no warning or notice, just like what happened with the rest of my family in Shuja'iya who were bombed suddenly without warning," said Muhammad Dhair, displaced Palestinian from Khan Yunis.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society has expressed concern. Eighteen of its ambulances in the Gaza Strip have stopped running due to a lack of fuel, more than a third of its total fleet.
The World Health Organization and other agencies are responsible for supplying medical organizations and ambulances with fuel into Gaza through the land crossings controlled by Israel. There are fears the healthcare system will collapse.
"Since the Israeli occupation army took control of the Rafah land crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, fuel has been supplied in very small quantities and is not commensurate with the needs of our ambulances and emergency sector. If the situation continues like this it will lead to the end of the rest of the ambulance fleet, which would pose a serious danger to patients," said Raed Al-Nims, spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
Israel advances into north and south Gaza, bombardment in Shuja'iya district continues
