Floodwaters from Tropical Storm Maysak kill 39 in southern China | Stories of the Flood

About 130,000 people have been evacuated from the Guangxi region and thousands of rescuers have been dispatched.

Floodwaters from Tropical Storm Maysak have killed 39 people in southern China, most of them after a dam in the city of Nanning collapsed.

Ding Wei, the city’s deputy mayor, announced the threat at a press conference on Thursday, the highest since six years, after rains breached reservoirs and sent torrents of water through towns and cities in Guangxi province.

The Nanning dam explosion killed 26 people, Ding said.

About 130,000 people have been evacuated from the area, and thousands of drones and boats have been used to provide massive relief and rescue efforts to reach people caught in the water.

Heavy rains lashed southern Guangxi for days, with 10-40cm (4-16in) of rain in some areas and more than 90cm (35in) in the worst-hit areas, the National Meteorological Center said.

More than 8,000 people and about 5,700 boats have been used to rescue people, with rescuers battling strong currents and debris to reach victims.

Ding said the floodwaters are receding, but more rain is expected in some areas in the next two days.

Workers have been dispatched to clear mud and debris and disinfect several towns in the city of Hengzhou, which is east of Nanning and under its control.

Road repairs are continuing, and electricity has been restored to more than 60,000 homes, Ding said.

Animals flee after flood waters hit the zoo

About 100 animals, including alpacas, piglets and zebras, have escaped from the Guigang Zoo in Guangxi province after floods damaged their enclosure.

The zoo appealed to the public on Wednesday for help in finding the escaped animals.

The missing creatures include “two North American raccoons, four porcupines and thirty peacocks”, according to the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau.

The zoo said some of the escapees “may be fearful and may be aggressive”.

“If you see any animals, please stay away,” he said.

“Do not try to touch them, approach them or laugh at them, because this can be dangerous,” the zoo warned.