Thousands of rescue workers have been sent to Zhuozhou, a flooded city in Hebei province, China, following heavy rainfall caused by Typhoon Doksuri. The city, which has a population of over 600,000 and borders Beijing, has experienced the worst storms in over a decade. The rainfall in the area has reached 355mm since Saturday, the heaviest since July 2012. As a result, more than 134,000 residents have been affected and over one-sixth of the city’s population has been evacuated.
Zhuozhou is located at the confluence of several rivers, making it one of the hardest-hit cities in Hebei. Floodwaters have migrated downstream, waterlogging residential areas twice the size of Paris and affecting nearly 650 hectares of agricultural land. The city is currently facing water shortages and a partial power outage. The local public security bureau has urgently requested rafts, life jackets, and emergency supplies.
In response to the crisis, China has dispatched approximately 9,000 rescuers to Zhuozhou, with additional rescue teams coming from neighboring Henan and Shanxi provinces. However, many residents have expressed frustration with the slow response from rescue and recovery efforts. On social media platform Weibo, one netizen vented their frustration, highlighting the lack of support from Beijing.
In addition to Zhuozhou, the city of Gaobeidian has also been affected. Over 113,000 residents have been evacuated, and reservoirs have been opened to trap excess water. The residual circulation of Doksuri’s rain clouds is heading north, leading to school closures, suspension of construction work, and advice for residents to stay indoors in areas such as Harbin.
Meanwhile, Japan is also facing the impact of a typhoon in its southwestern Okinawa prefecture. The storm is anticipated to move westwards in the East China Sea before turning northeast towards Japan’s third largest island, Kyushu.
As the situation in Zhuozhou continues to develop, authorities are working to provide the necessary support and resources to residents affected by the flooding.