At least 30 fatalities have been confirmed in Beijing due to severe flooding related to relentless rainfall, with more than 80,000 individuals evacuated to safety by local authorities. The recent deluge has caused extensive damage to infrastructure and properties across the region, similar to recent weather calamities affecting other areas in China. Tragically, eight additional lives were lost in a landslide incident in Chengde city, located approximately three hours northeast of the capital.
This summer has proven daunting for China as it grapples with extreme weather patterns. Earlier in the month, record heatwaves scorched the eastern regions, while flooding struck areas in the southwest. Amid the chaos, President Xi Jinping has urged immediate, comprehensive rescue actions and instructed officials to brace for the worst possible outcomes. “Every effort must be made to search for missing persons and provide aid,” he stated. The government has allocated 200 million yuan (about $28 million) for recovery initiatives, including infrastructure repair and transportation.
The brutal impact of the monsoon rainstorms severely affected the outskirts of Beijing, particularly suburban districts such as Miyun and Huairou. By damaging numerous roadways and disrupting power supplies to roughly 130 villages, the flooding has awakened local fears. Eyewitness accounts describe the rapid approach of the floodwaters, catching many off guard. Business owner Zhuang Zhelin recounted the urgency, expressing, "In no time at all, the place was filling up."
The consequences of the floods have been especially distressing for families separated by the disaster. Yang, a resident of Hebei province, expressed her despair over being unable to reach her elderly relatives in the severely affected Miyun district. The remoteness of her family’s village, populated by just 10 households, raises concerns that rescue efforts may overlook them altogether, motivating her to appeal for assistance on social media.
Beijing has experienced floods before, most notoriously in July 2012 when 190mm of rain fell in just one day, claiming 79 lives. Recurring natural disasters are becoming alarming, with rainfall-induced flooding accounting for over 90% of losses estimated at 54.11 billion yuan (approximately $7.5 billion) in the first half of this year alone, according to China's emergency management ministry. Climatic transformations related to climate change are exacerbating weather extremes, posing significant threats to the country’s residents and critical agricultural sector.
As rescue missions continue, the urgency for effective disaster response and future prevention measures has never been clearer.
