Beijing: At least 34 people have been killed and tens of thousands forced to evacuate as record-breaking rainfall and severe flooding wreak havoc across Beijing and the neighboring Hebei province.
The capital city and surrounding regions have been battered by torrential rain since the weekend, marking one of the most devastating weather events in northern China in recent years.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, 28 deaths were confirmed in Beijing’s Miyun district and another two in Yanqing district. Both districts are located in the northern outskirts of the city, far from the urban center. Authorities have confirmed the deaths resulted from widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure collapse caused by the heavy deluge.
Beijing recorded up to 543.4mm of rainfall in some northern districts, triggering the highest-level rain and flood alerts. As a precautionary measure, authorities evacuated more than 80,000 residents, mainly from vulnerable areas near rivers and reservoirs, according to Xinhua.
By Monday night, the city had launched its top-level emergency response, and all schools were closed, construction work was suspended, and outdoor tourism activities were halted. Residents were advised to remain indoors as more rain was forecast into Tuesday.
Neighboring Hebei province also suffered from the intense rainfall, with a landslide in Luanping county on Monday killing four people. At least eight others remain missing, as rescue operations continue under treacherous conditions.
The situation prompted China’s President Xi Jinping to issue urgent orders for all-out search and rescue efforts. To prevent a catastrophic dam breach, authorities began releasing water from the Miyun Reservoir, which had reached its highest levels since its construction in 1959. By Tuesday morning, more than 730 million cubic meters of water had flowed into the reservoir.
The storms left a trail of destruction; roads were washed away, power poles downed, and trees uprooted. 136 villages were left without electricity, and many communities were isolated due to impassable roads and broken communication lines. The current disaster follows historic floods in 2023, which also left dozens dead and displaced more than a million people, especially in Hebei.
China’s central government announced it had allocated 50 million yuan (approx. $7 million) in emergency funds to support Hebei’s response. A senior team of national emergency responders has also been deployed to assist rescue and relief efforts.
