The torrential rain that started to fall on Friday in central China's Hubei Province has left 754 reservoirs in the region exceeding flood storage capacities.
Due to increased discharge from the Three Gorges Reservoir and recent heavy rainfall, water levels in the Hubei section of the Yangtze River and in smaller rivers within the province are expected to rise in the coming days.
Multiple areas in Hubei, including Wuhan, Yichang, Jingmen, Xiaogan, and 11 other cities and prefectures, have also experienced heavy rainfall since Friday.
The heavy rainfall caused waterlogging in a low-lying residential area in Xiaogan City on Saturday, trapping several residents in their homes. Rescue personnel then used rescue boats to evacuate the flood-stranded residents to safety.
In Wuhan City, heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds caused multiple power line failures across the city. After nearly two hours of emergency repairs, power supply has been fully restored.
The heavy rainfall also caused the water level of Maojiahe Reservoir in Xingshan County, Yichang City, to rise rapidly. Considering the possibility of continued heavy rainfall, the reservoir started to discharge floodwater at 13:00 Saturday.
"We've quickly organized personnel to initiate emergency plans, notify every household, set up roadblocks on major transportation routes, and prohibit people and vehicles from entering the areas of flood discharge channels," said Cai Bishou, head of Pingshui Village, Gufu Town, Yichang City's Xingshan County.
Heavy rainfall in Hubei leaves 754 reservoirs exceeding flood storage capacities
European carmakers do not want additional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) as the move is harmful to them, especially for those having plants in China, said a Spanish entrepreneur on Tuesday.
Spurred by the policy support and market demand in Spain, EV industry has developed rapidly in recent years in the country, which currently boasts an EV fleet of about 500,000 units.
The Spanish government has set a target of having 5 million EVs and installing 500,000 charging piles by 2030.
The EU's additional tariffs on Chinese EVs are a wrong course, which will not solve any problems but will only hinder the further development of its own EV industry, said Arturo Perez de Lucia, general manager of the Business Association for the Development and Promotion of Electric Mobility (AEDIVE), when talking to China Central Television (CCTV) on Tuesday.
"I don't think the EU is on the right track. Although the policy is aimed at protecting European industry, European industry itself does not want to increase tariffs. I think one thing the EU should do is to listen to the opinions of European carmakers. Carmakers do not want the additional tariffs because the move is harmful to them. The increase in tariffs is also a very serious problem for European companies with manufacturing plants in China, who will suffer as a result. I think the car market is global and the door should be open for exchange," said Perez.
Perez further noted that key areas for the future of the EV industry include battery technology and digitalization, where China plays a leading role in competition.
At present, many Spanish companies have joined hands with their Chinese peers to tap into the sector, which is the right way forward, according to Perez.
Only through cooperation can efficient solutions be worked out, he stressed.
"Now Europe has to learn from China. We need to learn how to improve our manufacturing processes and logistics systems, making them more competitive in the market. China has technologies in digitization, energy efficiency, and energy storage that we don't have in Europe, so we must seek cooperation," said Perez.
EU's additional tariffs on Chinese EVs harmful to local carmakers: Spanish entrepreneur
