Debris flows commonly occur throughout southern China, posing a hazard to people, property and infrastructure. Although debris flows occur more frequently and with greater magnitude in mountainous southwest China, where they have been studied extensively, their impacts on society are greater in southeast China, where population densities and land use intensities are greater. A number of recent disastrous debris flow events in southeast China have drawn the attention of researchers and the government. Using historical records and field investigations, this paper describes debris flow distribution, casual and contributing factors, hazards and disaster prevention and mitigation measures in southeast China.