Torrential Rain and Flooding Cause Devastation in Beijing, China
BEIJING (AP) — Unprecedented torrential rain in and around China’s capital, Beijing, has resulted in the loss of at least 20 lives and left 27 individuals missing, according to government reports on Tuesday. The severe flooding has caused immense damage, including road destruction, uprooted trees, and power outages.
As a result of the dire situation, thousands of people have been evacuated to local schools and public buildings in suburbs of Beijing, as well as in the neighboring cities of Tianjin and Zhuozhou. The severity of the flooding has taken the Chinese capital by surprise, as it is known for experiencing dry summers. This year, however, Beijing witnessed record-breaking heat before being hit by heavy rainfall.
Beyond Beijing, other regions in China, particularly the south, have also been facing unusually severe flooding this summer, resulting in numerous fatalities. Conversely, certain parts of the country are grappling with drought conditions, highlighting the contrasting weather challenges faced by different areas.
In the Mentougou district on the western edge of Beijing, muddy water rampaged through streets, sweeping away cars and causing widespread destruction. One local resident, Liu Shuanbao, shared the shocking experience: “The cars parked on the street floated and got washed away. A couple of cars parked behind my apartment building disappeared in just one minute.”
Emergency workers have been using bulldozers to clear the streets while residents wade through the thick mud. The unexpected deluge has prompted dismay among both officials and ordinary people alike. Wu Changpo, another resident of Mentougou, expressed his grief, stating, “There were a lot of landslides and flooded villages. I cried repeatedly seeing these reports.”
As of now, Beijing has reported eleven deaths, with 27 individuals still missing. In Hebei province, which surrounds the capital, nine deaths have been recorded. Additionally, approximately 60,000 homes in the Fangshan district of Beijing have lost power.
In Zhuozhou, located southwest of Beijing, around 125,000 people from high-risk areas have been relocated to shelters, according to Xinhua News Agency. President Xi Jinping has issued orders for local governments to spare no effort in rescuing those trapped by the flooding and minimizing further loss of life and property damage.
Meanwhile, in Tianjin, an eastern port city near Beijing, authorities have evacuated 35,000 individuals from areas close to the swollen Yongding River. The Hebei province weather agency reported that some places have experienced rainfall of up to 500 millimeters (almost 20 inches) since Saturday, with certain areas recording up to 90 millimeters (3 1/2 inches) of rainfall per hour.
The Ministry of Water Resources disclosed that 13 rivers in the Haihe Basin, including Beijing, Tianjin, and Shijiazhuang, have surpassed warning levels due to the heavy rainfall. In Shanxi province, around 42,000 people have been evacuated to neighboring Hebei due to the flooding.
The recent floods follow a series of similar incidents across China. In early July, floods claimed the lives of at least 15 people in the southwestern region of Chongqing, while thousands had to be evacuated from the far northwestern province of Liaoning. In Hubei province, rainstorms left residents trapped in their vehicles and homes.
China’s most deadly and destructive floods in recent history occurred in 1998, taking the lives of over 4,150 people, primarily along the Yangtze River. More recently, in 2021, flooding in the central province of Henan resulted in the deaths of over 300 individuals. Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, experienced record-breaking rainfall on July 20, which transformed streets into rushing rivers and even flooded parts of the subway system.
As China grapples with these devastating flooding events, the government and local authorities remain committed to providing aid and assistance to affected areas, while also implementing measures to enhance future flood resilience and preparedness.