Dams collapse in China after torrential rain

Two dams in China’s northwestern region of Inner Mongolia have burst after heavy downpours, Reuters quoted the country’s water ministry as saying.

Shocking footage appears to show parts of a dam breaking away before the barrier is swept away, letting masses of water gush out of a reservoir. A highway can be seen becoming completely inundated and houses are submerged as residents are evacuated on a forklift.

It comes as flooding has also hit other parts of the world, devastating parts of Germany, Belgium and New Zealand, with climate change exacerbating extreme weather.