In footage filmed on Tuesday at the largest shopping centre in Rongjiang, in the Guizhou province, torrents of water can be seen cascading down escalators and upper floors.

Various objects - some appearing to be items of clothing, others chairs - are dragged into the currents.

In separate clips, cars are seen being swept into underground garages by floodwaters.

Numerous vehicles lie underwater after multiple rivers burst their banks, submerging much of the city.

Along with shopping centres and underground garages, other low-lying areas were reportedly flooded.

The alert was raised on Friday when continuous heavy rains drove the water level of the Rongjiang River to 114.6 metres.

On Tuesday, authorities in Rongjiang raised the flood alert to its highest level, warning that river levels could peak at 255 metres.

Rongjiang - which has a population of about 300,000 - has not seen these flood levels in 30 years, according to newspaper.

China experiences regular flooding during the summer due to the East Asian monsoon, which brings heavy, continuous rainfall from June to August.

It comes as southern China saw torrential rains in April 2024, swelling the Bei River in Guangdong by up to 19 feet above warning levels.

Over 110,000 residents were evacuated, and more than a million households experienced power outages.

Shocking footage shows cars being swept away by powerful flood currents.

Photos also reveal vehicles submerged in water and rescue workers carrying people through chest-deep floodwaters out of buildings.