China floods: Torrential rains kill at least 34; authorities evacuate 80,000 as over 130 villages lose electricity
Chinese President Xi Jinping directed authorities on Monday to contemplate worst-case scenarios and urged relocating of people residing in flood-threatened areas, AFP reported.
A deadly landslide in Luanping County, Hebei Province, claimed the lives of four people, while eight others remain unaccounted for. The incident occurred in a remote village. A local resident told Beijing News, a state-affiliated outlet, that communication had been cut off, leaving him unable to contact his relatives.
In Beijing's Miyun District, officials discharged water from a reservoir that had reached its highest level since it was constructed in 1959. Authorities cautioned the public to stay clear of rivers downstream, as water levels continued to rise amid forecasts of additional heavy rainfall.
China's Premier Li Qiang said Monday that the heavy downpour and flooding in Miyun led to 'serious casualties", and stressed for rescue efforts, the China's Xinhua News Agency report said.
Beijing authorities carried out a high-level emergency action at 8 pm on Monday, requesting residents to stay inside, shutting down schools, suspending construction work and pausing outdoor tourism and other activities until the response is withdrawn.
The heaviest rain in Beijing was likely on early Tuesday, with rainfall of up to 30 centimeters prediction for some places, AP reported.
Red alerts were issued as the heavy rainfall tracked its way from Sichuan Province in the southwest, through Gansu in the northwest, and onward to Liaoning Province in the northeast. Meanwhile, several trains heading to Beijing were suspended, and one of the city's airports faced flight delays and cancellations, a Reuters report mentioned.
Notably, Beijing and Hebei experienced extreme flooding in 2023.
(With inputs from AFP, AP and Reuters)
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