Record Rainfall Tests China’s Disaster-Response Systems
BEIJING, Aug 3 (Reuters) – China’s disaster-response systems are facing a challenging test as the country deals with dangerous discharge from swollen rivers and residents trapped in waterlogged cities. The record rainfall, caused by one of the strongest storms in years, may take weeks to recede.
Typhoon Doksuri landed in southern China on Friday, bringing extreme rain to the north. Beijing experienced the breaking of a 140-year rainfall record, while the province of Hebei received more than a year’s worth of rain. As the remnants of the typhoon move towards China’s northeastern border provinces and the rain starts to decrease, a region the size of Britain is now dealing with the challenges of safely discharging waterways and rescuing tens of thousands of people trapped in their homes.
The Hai river basin, where five rivers converge in northern China, is currently going through a “flood evolution process,” and flood-control engineering systems are facing their most severe test since 1996, according to state media reports. In 1996, the Yangtze river basin experienced large-scale flooding, resulting in the death of approximately 2,800 people and significant damage to homes and cropland.
Hebei authorities have raised the natural disaster emergency response level to II from III, while Beijing kept a warning in place for landslides on its outskirts. It is estimated that floodwaters in Hebei could take up to a month to recede. Zhuozhou, a city southwest of Beijing, has been the hardest-hit, with approximately 100,000 people already evacuated, which accounts for one-sixth of the city’s population.
China has long been aware of the risks of urban waterlogging, as rapid urbanization has led to the covering of floodplains with concrete. Extreme weather patterns due to global warming have exacerbated these risks. Official data reveals that about 98% of China’s 654 major cities are prone to flooding and waterlogging. Additionally, China’s national forecaster stated that rainfall in the northeastern provinces could increase by as much as 50% in August.
“The water is not receding, and the rescue efficiency is too low,” expressed a concerned netizen on popular microblog Weibo. Some areas of Zhuozhou are reportedly under six meters (20 feet) of water. The immediate need is to discharge the water and improve the rescue operations.
Rescue efforts have proven to be challenging. Local government and emergency management officials have stopped accepting new rescue teams from elsewhere due to blocked pathways and a lack of coordinated efforts. Approval from local officials is required for rescue teams to operate on the ground, resulting in delays for some rescuers who have offered assistance.
China is currently facing more stormy weather, as Typhoon Khanun approaches the East China Sea and is expected to reach Zhejiang and Fujian provinces by Friday. The country will need to brace itself for the potential impact of this new storm.
Reporting by Liz Lee, Ryan Woo, Ethan Wang, and Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Stephen Coates