Much of Guangdong is part of the low-lying Pearl River delta, which is prone to floods due to the rise in sea levels and storm surges.

The delta is a major manufacturing base in China and one of the country’s most densely-populated regions, with Guangdong alone home to around 127 million people.

Provincial capital Guangzhou as well as smaller cities Shaoguan and Heyuan were among the worst hit.

Across the province about 1.16 million households lost power over the weekend, but 80% had their electricity restored by Sunday night.

According to China’s Xinhua news agency, at least 110,000 people have been evacuated, with some 25,800 in shelters.

Flights have been cancelled and delayed at Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou due to continuous rain, while schools have been ordered shut in at least three cities.

Dozens of homes across the province have either collapsed or have been severely damaged, with authorities estimating a direct economic loss of nearly 140.6m yuan ($19.8m).Getty Images

China’s meteorological authorities have warned that heavy rains will continue in Guangdong and coastal areas of neighbouring Fujian until at least Tuesday.  “Moderate to heavy” rain is expected in other parts of the country, including Beijing, Tianjin and Heibei.

Last July, China’s capital Beijing and surrounding provinces such as Hebei were inundated with heavy rain and flooding after a series of typhoons from the Pacific Ocean made landfall in the country. That week, Beijing experienced its heaviest rainfall in 140 years.

(BBC)