A remarkable rescue operation in southern China has captured global attention after an excavator was used to lift stranded pigs to safety amid severe flooding in Guangxi province. The dramatic footage, which has gone viral on social media, shows heavy machinery carefully retrieving animals trapped by rising floodwaters after Typhoon Maysak inundated farms and displaced livestock across the region. Similar flooding has also affected local zoos, leaving rescue teams scrambling to save animals stranded by the rapidly rising water.
Typhoon Maysak Triggers Mass Evacuations and Transport Disruptions Across Southern China
Typhoon Maysak made landfall on Friday, July 3, bringing torrential rainfall that disrupted transportation networks, forced school closures, and submerged large parts of Guangxi. In Hengzhou city alone, approximately 53,000 residents were relocated to temporary shelters, according to local authorities. Emergency crews have continued search-and-rescue operations for residents trapped by floodwaters, while heavy equipment, boats, and rescue personnel remain deployed across affected communities.
Officials initially reported that six people had died and 11 others were missing as of July 7. However, the disaster has since worsened, with authorities confirming a significantly higher death toll after reservoir failures and continued flooding across Guangxi. More than 130,000 residents have now been evacuated, while thousands of rescuers are working to restore roads, electricity, and essential services in the flood-hit province. Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant as additional heavy rainfall threatens already saturated areas.