The death toll from Typhoon Maysak and subsequent flooding in southwest China’s Guangxi region has reached at least 159 people. State-run news agency Xinhua reported on Friday that 10 additional people remain missing following the early July disaster.
The region was subjected to what officials described as persistent and widespread heavy rainfall as the typhoon passed through the area. These weather conditions resulted in severe urban flooding and the failure of several infrastructure components, including breached reservoirs.
According to local authorities cited by Xinhua, dam breaches at reservoirs were responsible for at least 107 of the 159 confirmed deaths. In the two most severely impacted cities, more than 1.6 million residents were affected by the storm and its aftermath, necessitating the evacuation or relocation of over 320,000 people.
The scale of the disaster is reflected in the national economic data for July, which saw 318 people dead or missing across China due to various natural disasters. The Ministry of Emergency Management reported total direct economic losses of 57.15 billion yuan ($8.5 billion) for the month. For the broader Chinese economy and insurance markets, this represents a significant concentrated loss within a single 31-day period, driven largely by the sequence of three typhoons—Maysak, Bavi, and Noul—that hit the country in July.
Regional officials have confirmed that the Guangxi region has transitioned into a post-disaster recovery and reconstruction phase to address the damage to infrastructure and housing. While the immediate emergency response has concluded, the timeline for completing these reconstruction projects has not been reported. Residents who were displaced will remain subject to local government relocation timelines as authorities work to repair breached reservoirs and flooded urban centers. Missing persons cases for the 10 individuals noted by Xinhua remain open.