Typhoon Narra flooding in Guangxi China as rescue teams evacuate residents and thousands remain in temporary shelters.

More than 61,000 people have been affected in Guangxi as authorities prepare for the storm to reach the coast.

More than 54,000 people have been evacuated from China’s southern Guangxi region after Typhoon Narra brought torrential rain, flooding and rapidly rising rivers, while authorities continued preparations for the storm’s expected landfall.

RELATED: China Braces for Heavy Rain After Typhoon Dolphin Makes Landfall

At least 61,000 people have been affected by the storm in Guangxi, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV. More than 8,000 people remain in temporary shelters as emergency workers and firefighters clear mud from flooded streets.

The heaviest impact has been reported in southern parts of the region, where flooding and sudden rises in water levels damaged urban and rural infrastructure. In some neighborhoods, residents were stranded on the roofs of their homes after rainfall pushed water levels above one meter.

Rescue teams used inflatable boats to move children and older people to safer areas. Floodwaters also swept away cars and damaged dozens of buildings.

The rainfall pushed 10 rivers and 15 hydrological monitoring stations above alert levels, prompting continued emergency response and monitoring.

Authorities are also taking steps to limit the risks associated with the storm’s movement. Maritime traffic through the Qiongzhou Strait between Guangdong and Hainan provinces is due to be suspended from Tuesday morning as a precaution.

China’s meteorological authorities said Narra was positioned over the northern part of the South China Sea on Tuesday and was moving slowly westward and northwestward. The system is expected to reach the coast with the strength of a severe tropical storm.

Authorities are continuing to monitor the storm because it could make landfall between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Emergency teams remain deployed in affected areas as thousands of displaced residents stay in temporary shelters and cleanup operations continue following the flooding.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.