Typhoon Saudel unleashed torrential rainfall across the Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian and Guangdong provinces in south-east China last week, triggering widespread damage and mass evacuations. The city of Putian, in Fujian province, experienced an exceptional 416.5mm of rain within 24 hours, with nearby villages recording over 500mm. Authorities in Fujian evacuated nearly 600,000 people from vulnerable areas, while another 128,000 in Jiangxi were affected, including 9,000 undergoing emergency relocation. The extreme weather caused flooding, landslides, and substantial infrastructure damage, trapping over 2,500 students and teachers in Wenzhou, Zhejiang. A river embankment collapse in Putian resulted in the destruction of 100 homes and required the rescue of 1,260 residents. Tragically, a landslide in Suichuan county, Jiangxi province, claimed three lives, with nine individuals still missing as of Saturday.