Why China’s Flood Disasters Keep Happening Every Summer I China Insights

Every summer, China faces devastating floods described as “once-in-a-century” disasters. But why do similar tragedies keep happening year after year?In this episode, we examine the recent reservoir breach in Guangxi and use it as a starting point to explore a deeper problem: aging dams, emergency flood releases, conflicting economic incentives, and a reservoir system built during an era when political targets often mattered more than engineering standards.From the Liulan Reservoir incident to earlier flood disasters across China, we look at how flood control, hydropower, irrigation, tourism, and local financial interests can collide — and why ordinary villagers are often the last to be warned.This is not just a story about extreme weather. It is a story about infrastructure, governance, and what happens when systems built decades ago are pushed beyond their limits.