A State-owned low-altitude aviation company in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region provided overnight aerial support after local authorities requested assistance following catastrophic flooding in Hengzhou on Monday.

Extreme rainfall since the weekend triggered severe flooding in Yunbiao town, where overflowing reservoirs inundated villages, cut off roads, and trapped residents, creating challenges for nighttime rescue operations.

Traffic police coordinate with the drone team before a rescue operation. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

After receiving an emergency request from the local traffic police, a low-altitude flight subsidiary of Guangxi Beibu Gulf Investment Group activated its emergency response and dispatched a technical team with large multirotor drones to the disaster area.

The drones used high-powered searchlights to illuminate flooded roads and villages, helping rescuers identify hazards and assess road conditions in darkness. Infrared thermal imaging cameras were used to search for stranded residents on rooftops and other elevated areas, while onboard loudspeakers broadcast evacuation instructions and safety alerts to affected communities, according to the company.

Live aerial footage was transmitted to the emergency command center and frontline traffic police, providing real-time information on floodwaters, inundated villages, and road conditions, it said.

Traffic police coordinate with the drone team before a rescue operation. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

An aerial view captured by a drone at the flood site. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

An aerial view captured by a drone at the flood site. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

An aerial view captured by a drone at the flood site. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]