Torrential rains hit Beijing and surrounding provinces on Monday, triggering deadly landslides, flash floods, and mass evacuations as authorities warned of worsening conditions and escalating disaster risks.
In Hebei province, four people were confirmed dead and eight more reported missing after a landslide struck amid unrelenting rainfall, according to newsreporters. In nearby Beijing, more than 4,400 residents in Miyun District were evacuated after flash floods and landslides inundated several villages.
Images circulating on China’s WeChat platform showed vehicles floating in floodwaters and submerged buildings, with some streets in Miyun resembling rivers. Over 10,000 people in the district were left without electricity, CCTV reported.
Beijing authorities issued the city’s highest flood alert as the Central Meteorological Observatory warned that the deluge would continue to batter northern China for the next three days. The storms are part of the seasonal East Asian monsoon, which has brought severe weather across China and further strained disaster response efforts.
Xiwanzi Village in Shicheng Town was among the hardest hit, prompting emergency sheltering of over 100 residents at a local school. On Sunday, officials said water flow into the Miyun Reservoir reached a record 6,550 cubic meters per second.
Neighboring provinces, including Shanxi and Shaanxi, also reported flash flood risks and damage. In Datong, Shanxi, search and rescue operations are underway for a driver who went missing in floodwaters. Meanwhile, Baoding’s Fuping County in Hebei recorded rainfall of 145 mm (5.7 inches) per hour overnight.
In response, China’s Water Resources Ministry issued flood alerts to 11 provinces and regions. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced ¥50 million ($6.98 million) in emergency funding to restore infrastructure in Hebei, including roads, bridges, and public buildings.
Northern China, typically more arid, has seen rising flood threats in recent years. Scientists increasingly attribute the surge in extreme rainfall to global warming, which challenges the region’s ageing flood control systems and poses serious risks to lives, livelihoods, and China’s vital $2.8 trillion agricultural economy.
Reuters/s.s