Over 600 Chinese rivers breach warning levels as climate-driven flooding batters Asia

China's water agency reported in mid-July 2026 that over 600 rivers topped warning levels — up 35% from the five-year average. The floods coincided with deadly flash floods in Afghanistan (31 dead) and Bangladesh (44 dead), plus landslides in Japan and Vietnam. The WMO (World Meteorological Organization) flagged a worsening pattern of climate-linked extreme rainfall across Asia.