Beijing warns of geological disasters as storms lash Baoding again
BEIJING - Beijing issued on Saturday a warning for geological disasters including landslides and mudslides after intense rainfall the day before, with storms circulating China's north unleashing for a second time a year's rain on nearby Baoding.
The Beijing meteorological agency's alert for 10 of the city's 16 districts came as local authorities also warned of flash floods in mountainous areas.
In neighbouring Hebei, extreme overnight rains in Fuping, a part of the industrial city of Baoding, saw records broken at a local weather station with 145 mm (5.7 inches) per hour of precipitation, state broadcaster CCTV said.
The Xizhuang station recorded a maximum rainfall of 540 mm over an eight-hour period, superseding Baoding's average annual rainfall of about 500 mm.
Just a day ago, storms dumped similar amounts of precipitation on Yi, another part of Baoding.
The rain held destructive power, CCTV said, affecting more than 46,000 people and forcing 4,655 of them to evacuate.
Northern China has witnessed record-breaking precipitation in recent years, exposing densely populated cities including Beijing to flood risks. Some scientists link the higher rainfall in China's usually arid north to global warming.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore Car that fell into Tanjong Katong Road South sinkhole removed; road remains closed for repairs
Singapore Workers used nylon rope to rescue driver of car that fell into Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole
Asia Thai-Cambodia border shelling continues despite Trump's ceasefire call
Singapore PAP has to retain its position for S'pore to keep doing well: SM Lee
Asia S'porean trainee doctor in Melbourne arrested for allegedly filming colleagues in toilets since 2021
Singapore HSA will not trace vape users who throw away e-vaporisers in disposal bins at 23 CCs
Singapore Mum at 15: More teens in Singapore gave birth in 2024
Business Already owning 5 properties, woman wanted elderly dad's 4 homes
China's Water Resources Ministry has issued targeted warnings to 11 provinces and regions, including Beijing and Hebei, for floods arising from small and medium-sized rivers and gushing torrents from mountains.
The alert also sought to ensure that reservoirs and silt dams are safe during floods.
Across the country, heavy rainfall has caused 13 rivers scattered through seven provinces to swell past their flood warning levels by as much as 1.4 m (4.6 feet), CCTV reported, citing the ministry's findings on Saturday morning.
Among them, one tributary of Inner Mongolia's Dahei River and another of Shaanxi's Yanhe River recorded their biggest floods since records began.
The storms are part of the broader pattern of extreme weather across China due to the East Asian monsoon, which has caused disruptions in the world's second-largest economy.
In a separate bulletin, CCTV also said two small reservoirs in northeastern Jilin province were operating above the flood limit, as rivers continue to swell. Local authorities have begun activating five large reservoirs to help with flood water discharge.
Extreme rainfall and severe flooding are highly monitored by Chinese authorities as they challenge the country's ageing flood defences, threaten to displace millions, and wreak havoc on a $2.8 trillion agricultural sector. REUTERS
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Tens of thousands evacuated as torrential rains hit south China
BEIJING: Torrential rains triggered widespread flooding and landslides across southern China on Wednesday (Aug 6), forcing tens of thousands to evacuate as emergency services rushed to rescue those trapped in collapsed buildings and submerged streets. More than 75,000 people in Guangdong province had been relocated by noon, state broadcaster CCTV reported, after relentless downpours drenched urban and rural areas alike. LANDSLIDE IN GUANGZHOU A major landslide struck Dayuan village in Guangzhou around 8.30am, trapping 14 people beneath rubble and debris. Rescuers had freed seven survivors by evening, none of whom were in immediate danger. The body of an eighth person was later recovered, according to CCTV, as operations continued into the night. Footage from the scene showed emergency personnel in orange suits climbing over a collapsed structure, surrounded by mud and broken concrete. FLOODS ACROSS GUANGDONG AND GUANGXI CCTV also showed waist-deep floodwaters sweeping through streets in Guangdong and neighbouring Guangxi province, with stranded residents clinging to partially submerged vehicles and makeshift rafts. Homes and storefronts were inundated, prompting officials to launch an emergency response in Guangdong. Authorities have allocated 100 million yuan (US$14 million) in recovery funds, China's top economic planner announced. The National Reform and Development Commission warned that continued rainfall had already caused 'heavy casualties and property losses' across the region. EXTREME WEATHER ACROSS CHINA Deadly floods and landslides are becoming more common during China's summer months. Last month, 44 people died after rains battered Beijing's outskirts, while a separate landslide in Hebei province killed another eight. China remains vulnerable to natural disasters exacerbated by climate change, even as it leads the world in renewable energy production. The country is the planet's largest emitter of greenhouse gases but has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2060.
Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Straits Times
Heavy rains, landslides hamper rescue efforts in northern Indian state, dozens missing
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Houses are partially buried by a mudslide, amid flash floods, in Dharali, Uttarakhand, India, August 5, 2025. Indian Army Central Command via X/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Heavy rain hampered rescue efforts in India's Himalayan state of Uttarakhand on Wednesday, a day after sudden flooding and landslides killed four people and left dozens missing. Teams of army and disaster force rescuers struggled to reach Dharali village, a popular tourist spot that serves as a pit-stop before climbing to the Hindu pilgrimage town of Gangotri, as landslides blocked a major highway and heavy rain continued to pelt the region, local media and authorities said. "The number of missing persons is unknown, however the relief efforts have continued through the night. We are trying to rescue people and take them to safety," Harshavardhan, an army colonel leading rescue efforts, said in an X post shared by the Indian army. The army camp in Harsil, four km (2.5 miles) from the flooded village of Dharali, was also hit by flash floods and eleven army personnel were missing, NDTV news channel said. "Additional army columns along with tracker dogs, drones, logistic drones, earthmoving equipment, etc have been moved ahead to supplement the resources at Harsil to hasten the efforts," the army's central command said in a post on X. TV news channels showed floodwaters and mud surging down a mountain and crashing into the village, sweeping away houses and roads as people ran for their lives. The mudslide cleaved through Dharali village, burying some houses, according to a video update shared by the state chief minister's office. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore East-West Line MRT service resumes after delays lasting around 5 hours; track point fault fixed Singapore Hidden vapes and where to find them: Inside ICA's clampdown at land checkpoints Singapore Sorting recyclables by material could boost low domestic recycling rate: Observers Singapore SM Lee receives Australia's highest civilian honour for advancing bilateral ties Asia Trump's sharp India criticism corners Modi as rift deepens Singapore More train rides taken in first half-year, but overall public transport use stays below 2019 levels Singapore BlueSG needs time to develop software, refresh fleet, say ex-insiders after winding-down news Asia Cambodia-Thailand border clash a setback for Asean: Vivian Balakrishnan Uttarakhand is prone to floods and landslides, which some experts blame on climate change. REUTERS
AsiaOne
17 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Monsoon peaks in south China, unleashing landslides and a surge in virus cases, China News
BEIJING — Rescue crews across south China braced for a final onslaught of extreme rainfall on Wednesday (Aug 6), racing between heavy downpours to clear mudslide debris and drain waterlogged roads submerging cars, as the East Asian monsoon reaches a peak. Forecasters warned of more thunderstorms, a day after the skies above Hong Kong and the high-tech cities of China's Pearl River Delta turned black and unleashed the heaviest August rainfall since 1884 on the Asian financial centre. Videos showed shopping streets transformed into waterways in China's southern province of Guangdong, worsening an outbreak of chikungunya fuelled by a surge of mosquitoes thriving in the stagnant floodwaters. Guangdong has reported more than 7,000 cases of the virus so far. China is being battered by heavier-than-usual downpours as the East Asian monsoon stalls over its north and south, causing weeks of atmospheric chaos since early July. Meteorologists link the shifting pattern to climate change, testing officials as flash floods displace thousands and threaten billions of dollars in economic losses. Beijing allocated over 1 billion yuan (S$179 million) in disaster relief on Tuesday to support flood relief efforts in the provinces of Guangdong and Hebei, as well as in Beijing and the northern region of Inner Mongolia, state news agency Xinhua reported, including subsidies for damage to grain-growing areas. The extreme rainfall is expected to ease in the coming days, after sweeping at least five people to their deaths in Guangdong over the weekend and prompting a large-scale search operation involving over 1,300 rescuers. Rescue crews on Tuesday rushed to open drains and pump water from urban areas between the showers, state media reported, with the deluge triggering mudslides that brought silt and felled trees onto highways, washing away road foundations and exposing cabling and other embedded infrastructure. But the rains are pushing Guangdong province's flood preparedness to the brink. Sixteen rivers across the province have risen to levels that risk breaching their banks, according to Chinese state media, with water levels at two regional hydrology stations reaching their highest marks since 2017 and 2018. Even as the East Asian monsoon begins to wane, China's weather authorities warn the worst may not be over, with two to three typhoons expected to strike in August, officials from the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Tuesday. [[nid:720996]]
