Severe rainfall and widespread flooding have tragically killed at least 30 people in Beijing, China, according to state media. The fatalities primarily occurred in the city’s mountainous northern districts, with 28 deaths reported in Miyun and two in Yanqing, the official Xinhua news agency stated on Tuesday. Xinhua, citing the city’s municipal flood control headquarters, confirmed that “The latest round of heavy rainstorms has left 30 people dead in Beijing as of midnight Monday.”
Torrential rain began over the weekend and intensified around the Chinese capital and surrounding provinces on Monday. Beijing’s northern districts recorded up to 543mm (21.3 inches) of rainfall. The extreme weather has led to significant disruption, with more than 80,000 residents relocated from the worst-affected areas. The country’s national broadcaster CCTV reported that dozens of roads have been damaged, and power has been cut to at least 136 villages.
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Emergency Measures and Forecasts
The heaviest rainfall in Beijing was expected to continue into early Tuesday, with up to 300mm (11.8 inches) forecast for some areas. Authorities took drastic measures, including ordering the release of water from a reservoir in Beijing’s rural Miyun district, which had reached its highest level since its construction in 1959. Locals were warned to stay clear of rising river levels downstream as more heavy rain is predicted.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, late on Monday night, ordered “all-out” search and rescue efforts to minimize casualties. Authorities also instructed people to stay indoors, closed schools, suspended construction work, and halted outdoor tourism and other activities until the emergency warning is lifted.
Regional Casualties Reported So Far
The devastating impact of the flooding was evident in towns like Taishitun, approximately 100km (60 miles) northeast of central Beijing. On Monday, streets were covered in mud and water, with uprooted trees lying in piles, their bare roots exposed, as reported by the Associated Press news agency. Local resident Zhuang Zhelin, who was clearing mud with his family from their building materials shop, described the suddenness of the event: “The flood came rushing in, just like that, so fast and suddenly. In no time at all, the place was filling up.”
Earlier on Monday, reports indicated that the torrential rains and flooding had also killed four people and left eight others missing following a landslide in China’s Hebei province, located south of Beijing.
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