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At least 60 dead in north China following extreme rain, authorities say
At least 60 dead in north China following extreme rain, authorities say

Reuters

timea day ago

  • Climate
  • Reuters

At least 60 dead in north China following extreme rain, authorities say

BEIJING, July 31 (Reuters) - Extreme weather killed at least 60 people in northern China over the past week, with 31 deaths in an elderly care home in Beijing's hilly Miyun district in one of the deadliest floods to have hit the Chinese capital in years. In Beijing, 44 people were killed and nine were missing as of midday Thursday, deputy mayor of Beijing, Xia Linmao, said at a press conference. Heavy rains began a week ago and peaked around Beijing and surrounding provinces on Monday, with Miyun experiencing rainfall of up to 573.5 mm (22.6 inches) - levels local media described as "extremely destructive." The average annual rainfall in Beijing is around 600 mm. In the nearby province of Hebei, 16 people died as a result of the intense rainfall, authorities said. At least eight were killed in the city of Chengde just outside Beijing, with 18 unaccounted for. The deaths occurred in villages within the Xinglong area of Chengde in Hebei province, state-run Xinhua reported late on Wednesday citing local authorities, without specifying when or how the people died. The deaths in Chengde occurred in villages which border Beijing's Miyun about 25 km (16 miles) from the Miyun reservoir, the largest in China's north. The reservoir saw record-breaking overall water levels and capacity during the rains which devastated nearby towns. At its peak on Sunday, up to 6,550 cubic metres of water - about 2.5 Olympic-sized pools' worth - flooded into the reservoir every second. In another Hebei village north of the reservoir, a landslide on Monday killed eight people, with four missing. Extreme rainfall and severe flooding, which meteorologists link to climate change, pose major challenges for Chinese policymakers, with officials partially attributing a slowdown in factory activity to such events.

Beijing's extreme rain 'trap' kills at least 30, displaces thousands
Beijing's extreme rain 'trap' kills at least 30, displaces thousands

Reuters

time3 days ago

  • Climate
  • Reuters

Beijing's extreme rain 'trap' kills at least 30, displaces thousands

BEIJING, July 29 (Reuters) - Extreme weather killed at least 30 people in Beijing after a year's worth of rain fell in less than a week, forcing the relocation of more than 80,000 people, damaging roads and cutting off power and communications in more than 130 villages. Hundreds of flights and a number of train services were delayed or suspended as the storms peaked on Monday night, stretching the capital's disaster management capabilities and prompting some experts to call the city a rain "trap". Most of the rain had converged on Beijing's mountainous north near the Great Wall, with at least 28 deaths reported in the district of Miyun and two in Yanqing, Xinhua reported. The state-run news agency did not say when or how the deaths occurred. "The flood came in an instant, you just had no buffer," said Zhai, 33, who runs a grocery shop in Miyun, now a disaster zone amid collapsed bridges, mangled cars and shattered pipelines. She showed Reuters the marks left behind as the floodwaters receded. They had risen to 1.5 metres (4.92 ft), submerging her shop for hours and ruining her food and beverage stocks. Liu, who owns a nearby restaurant, was on the verge of tears as she stared at the overturned stools and mud-covered table-tops in her eatery. Large appliances like fridges had sat submerged for hours and were likely damaged, said her husband Yang, estimating the damage at more than 100,000 yuan ($14,000). Heavy rains began on July 23 and peaked around Beijing and surrounding provinces on Monday, with Miyun experiencing rainfall of up to 573.5 mm (22.6 inches) - levels local media described as "extremely destructive". The average annual rainfall in Beijing is around 600 mm. The most intense downpour occurred on Saturday in Beijing's hilly Huairou, where 95.3 mm of rain fell in one hour. "The cumulative amount of precipitation has been extremely high - reaching 80–90% of the annual total in just a few days in some areas," said Xuebin Zhang of the University of Victoria in Canada and CEO of the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium. "Very few systems are designed to handle such an intense volume of rainfall over such a short period," Zhang said. The local topography - mountains to the west and north - "trapped" the moist air and forced it upward, amplifying the deluge, he said. China's usually arid north has seen record rains in recent years, with some scientists linking it to global warming. In the summer of 2023, heavy rain and flooding killed at least 33 people in Beijing. Rainfall in the city of Xingtai in the neighbouring Hebei province exceeded 1,000 mm in two days - double the yearly average. Heavy rain also pounded the province of Hebei and the city of Tianjin near Beijing. In Hebei, eight people were killed as a landslide hit a village on Monday, after the region received six months' worth of rain over the weekend. Four remained missing. In two villages in Tianjin on Monday, only the roofs of single-storey houses were visible, China Central Television (CCTV) reported. The emergency management ministry said the disaster relief situation had been "complex and severe". Residents pleaded for faster rescue efforts in posts on social media platform Weibo. "The flood is still coming, and there is still no power or signal, and I still can't get in touch with my family!" a Weibo user wrote on Tuesday morning. ($1 = 7.1767 Chinese yuan)

Floods kill at least 30 after Beijing records almost a year of rainfall in days
Floods kill at least 30 after Beijing records almost a year of rainfall in days

Japan Times

time3 days ago

  • Climate
  • Japan Times

Floods kill at least 30 after Beijing records almost a year of rainfall in days

Extreme weather has killed at least 30 people in Beijing after a year's worth of rain fell in a matter of days, stretching the Chinese capital's disaster management capabilities and prompting some experts to call the city a rain trap. Much of the rain inundated Beijing's mountainous north near the Great Wall, with 28 deaths reported in the district of Miyun and two in Yanqing, the official Xinhua news agency said Tuesday. It did not say when or how the deaths occurred. Heavy rain started last Wednesday and intensified around Beijing and surrounding provinces on Monday, with the capital experiencing rainfall of up to 543.4 mm in its northern districts, Xinhua said. The average annual rainfall in Beijing is around 600 mm. "The cumulative amount of precipitation has been extremely high — reaching 80-90% of the annual total in just a few days in some areas," said Xuebin Zhang of the University of Victoria in Canada and CEO of the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (PCIC). "Very few systems are designed to handle such an intense volume of rainfall over such a short period," Zhang said. The local topography — mountains to the west and north — "trapped" the moist air and forced it to rise, enhancing the extraordinary amount of precipitation, he said. China's usually arid north has seen record precipitation in recent years, with some scientists linking the rainfall to global warming. In the summer of 2023, heavy rain and flooding killed at least 33 people in Beijing. Rainfall in the city of Xingtai, in neighboring Hebei province, exceeded 1,000 mm in two days — double the yearly average. Late on Monday, President Xi Jinping said there had been "heavy casualties and property losses" in Beijing and the provinces of Hebei, Jilin and Shandong, and ordered "all-out" search and rescue efforts. More than 80,000 Beijing residents had been relocated, Xinhua reported, with roads and communication infrastructure damaged and power to 136 villages cut off overnight. The most intense rain occurred on Saturday in Beijing's hilly Huairou, which saw 95.3 mm of rain in one hour. In Miyun on Monday, some people were trapped at an elderly care center as water levels rose close to the roof. Emergency rescue services swam into the building and used ropes to pull out 48 people. On Tuesday, parks, libraries and museums including the Palace Museum at the Forbidden City were closed. Train and bus services in the suburbs and along waterways were suspended. Hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed at Beijing's two airports, state media reported. Heavy rain also pounded the province of Hebei and the city of Tianjin neighboring Beijing, which are all part of the vast Hai river basin. Four people were killed in a landslide in Hebei on Monday, with eight still missing, as six months' worth of rain fell over the weekend. In two villages in Tianjin on Monday, major roads were flooded, bridges damaged, with only the roofs of single-storey houses visible, China Central Television (CCTV) reported. Heavy rain is expected to persist in parts of Beijing, Hebei and Tianjin on Tuesday, the emergency management ministry said Monday night, adding that "the disaster relief situation is complex and severe." Some residents in the region posted on social media platform Weibo calling on authorities to expedite rescue efforts. "The flood is still coming, and there is still no power or signal, and I still can't get in touch with my family!" a post Tuesday morning said.

At least 30 reported killed as ‘extreme' rain causes flooding in Beijing
At least 30 reported killed as ‘extreme' rain causes flooding in Beijing

Irish Times

time3 days ago

  • Climate
  • Irish Times

At least 30 reported killed as ‘extreme' rain causes flooding in Beijing

Extreme weather killed at least 30 people in Beijing after a year's worth of rain fell in a matter of days, stretching the Chinese capital's disaster management capabilities and prompting some experts to call the city a rain trap. Much of the rain inundated Beijing's mountainous north near the Great Wall, with 28 deaths reported in the district of Miyun and two in Yanqing, the official Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday. It did not say when or how the deaths occurred. Heavy rain started last Wednesday and intensified around Beijing and surrounding provinces on Monday, with the capital experiencing rainfall of up to 543.4mm in its northern districts, Xinhua said. The average annual rainfall in Beijing is about 600mm. 'The cumulative amount of precipitation has been extremely high - reaching 80–90 per cent of the annual total in just a few days in some areas,' said Xuebin Zhang of the University of Victoria in Canada and CEO of the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (PCIC). 'Very few systems are designed to handle such an intense volume of rainfall over such a short period,' Dr Zhang said. The local topography - mountains to the west and north - 'trapped' the moist air and forced it to rise, enhancing the extraordinary amount of precipitation, he said. China's usually arid north has seen record precipitation in recent years, with some scientists linking the rainfall to global warming. In the summer of 2023, heavy rain and flooding killed at least 33 people in Beijing. Rainfall in the city of Xingtai in neighbouring Hebei province exceeded 1,000 mm in two days - double the yearly average. Late on Monday, Chinese president Xi Jinping said there had been 'heavy casualties and property losses' in Beijing and the provinces of Hebei, Jilin and Shandong, and ordered 'all-out' search and rescue efforts. More than 80,000 Beijing residents had been relocated, Xinhua reported, with roads and communication infrastructure damaged and power to 136 villages cut off overnight. The most intense rain occurred on Saturday in Beijing's hilly Huairou, which saw 95.3mm of rain in one hour. Water is released from the spillway of the Miyun reservoir in Miyun district, on the outskirts of Beijing. Photograph: Adek Berry/AFP via Getty Images In Miyun on Monday, some people were trapped at an elderly care centre as water levels rose close to the roof. Emergency rescue services swam into the building and used ropes to pull out 48 people. On Tuesday, parks, libraries and museums including the Palace Museum at the Forbidden City were closed. Train and bus services in the suburbs and along waterways were suspended. Hundreds of flights were cancelled or delayed at Beijing's two airports, state media reported. Heavy rain also pounded the province of Hebei and the city of Tianjin neighbouring Beijing, which are all part of the vast Hai river basin. Four people were killed in a landslide in Hebei on Monday, with eight still missing, as six months' worth of rain fell over the weekend. - Reuters (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025

At least 30 killed in Beijing due to record rainfall; hundreds of flights disrupted
At least 30 killed in Beijing due to record rainfall; hundreds of flights disrupted

Khaleej Times

time3 days ago

  • Climate
  • Khaleej Times

At least 30 killed in Beijing due to record rainfall; hundreds of flights disrupted

Extreme weather killed at least 30 people in Beijing after a year's worth of rain fell in a matter of days, stretching the Chinese capital's disaster management capabilities and prompting some experts to call the city a rain trap. Much of the rain inundated Beijing's mountainous north near the Great Wall, with 28 deaths reported in the district of Miyun and two in Yanqing, the official Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday. It did not say when or how the deaths occurred. Heavy rain started last Wednesday and intensified around Beijing and surrounding provinces on Monday, with the capital experiencing rainfall of up to 543.4 mm (21.4 inches) in its northern districts, Xinhua said. The average annual rainfall in Beijing is around 600 mm. "The cumulative amount of precipitation has been extremely high - reaching 80–90% of the annual total in just a few days in some areas," said Xuebin Zhang of the University of Victoria in Canada and CEO of the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (PCIC). "Very few systems are designed to handle such an intense volume of rainfall over such a short period," Zhang said. The local topography, mountains to the west and north, "trapped" the moist air and forced it to rise, enhancing the extraordinary amount of precipitation, he said. China's usually arid north has seen record precipitation in recent years, with some scientists linking the rainfall to global warming. In the summer of 2023, heavy rain and flooding killed at least 33 people in Beijing. Rainfall in the city of Xingtai in neighbouring Hebei province exceeded 1,000 mm in two days - double the yearly average. Late on Monday, President Xi Jinping said there had been "heavy casualties and property losses" in Beijing and the provinces of Hebei, Jilin and Shandong, and ordered "all-out" search and rescue efforts. More than 80,000 Beijing residents had been relocated, Xinhua reported, with roads and communication infrastructure damaged and power to 136 villages cut off overnight. The most intense rain occurred on Saturday in Beijing's hilly Huairou, which saw 95.3 mm of rain in one hour. In Miyun on Monday, some people were trapped at an elderly care centre as water levels rose close to the roof. Emergency rescue services swam into the building and used ropes to pull out 48 people. On Tuesday, parks, libraries and museums including the Palace Museum at the Forbidden City were closed. Train and bus services in the suburbs and along waterways were suspended. Hundreds of flights were cancelled or delayed at Beijing's two airports, state media reported. 'Flood still coming' Heavy rain also pounded the province of Hebei and the city of Tianjin neighbouring Beijing, which are all part of the vast Hai river basin. Four people were killed in a landslide in Hebei on Monday, with eight still missing, as six months' worth of rain fell over the weekend. In two villages in Tianjin on Monday, major roads were flooded, bridges damaged, with only the roofs of single-storey houses visible, China Central Television (CCTV) reported. Heavy rain is expected to persist in parts of Beijing, Hebei and Tianjin on Tuesday, the emergency management ministry said Monday night, adding that "the disaster relief situation is complex and severe." Some residents in the region posted on social media platform Weibo calling on authorities to expedite rescue efforts. "The flood is still coming, and there is still no power or signal, and I still can't get in touch with my family!" a post on Tuesday morning said.

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