Latest news with #TorrentialRains
Washington Post
a day ago
- Climate
- Washington Post
More than 30 killed, tens of thousands evacuated in Chinese floods
Torrential rains pounded vast swaths of northeastern China this week, with more heavy rain expected, as the country confronts another lethal summer of devastating floods that have left rescuers wading in water up to their elbows. At least 34 people were killed and more than 80,000 evacuated as rains flooded Beijing and cities in nearby Hebei province. More heavy rain is forecast for the region in the coming days, the China Meteorological Administration said, though it's expected to weaken by the end of Wednesday. Southern China is also experiencing heavy downpours, with Hong Kong issuing its highest rainstorm warning this year, although authorities canceled it Tuesday afternoon but still warned the public to remain on alert for landslides after significant rains in eastern and southern districts. China is no stranger to powerful rainstorms and deadly floods, but scientists say global warming is exacerbating already turbulent conditions, making extreme weather events more frequent and more devastating over the past several decades. China experienced notably extreme weather last year, including the highest number of floods in its major rivers since 1998, according to a report released by the Ecology and Environment Ministry last month. The report said China's climate outlook for 2025 was 'unfavorable,' warning of risks to the economy and to human life. Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for all-out search and rescue efforts, ordering authorities to plan for worst-case scenarios, according to state media reports Tuesday. Beijing activated its highest-level flood alert Monday evening, urging residents to stay indoors. At least 21 inches of rain has poured into Miyun, a mountainous district in northeastern Beijing, where most of the deaths have occurred. Significant floods have also washed over the nearby cities of Chengde and Zhangjiakou. More than 80,000 people have been evacuated, state media said, as floods mangled buildings, filled stairwells, uprooted trees and triggered landslides. At least 136 villages in the region suffered power outages, and cars were left scattered across city and provincial streets. 'It's truly heartbreaking. … The extremity of this event is undeniable,' said Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs in Beijing. He said the cumulative rainfall during this week's storm was nearly the same as Beijing's annual average. The death toll of the floods is about half that of the 2012 disaster that killed at least 79 people in Beijing, but experts say climate change and global warming continue to exacerbate extreme weather in China, posing a mounting concern to scientists and the authorities. 'Extreme weather events are on the rise. High temperatures and heat waves are indeed becoming more frequent, and so are extreme heavy rainfall events,' Ma said. 'Over the past 60 years, there has clearly been an increasing trend, and this pattern aligns with the broader global trend of climate change.' Natural disasters in China caused nearly $7.6 billion in direct economic losses in the first half of 2025, China's Emergency Response Ministry said last month, and they have affected an estimated 25 million lives. Experts say Chinese authorities have sought to better prepare for extreme weather events in recent years, anticipating their rising frequency and intensity because of climate change. 'There's still room for improvement,' said Ma Ding, an assistant professor of atmospheric and environmental science at Duke Kunshan University in eastern China. But the country has shown 'considerable progress' in developing early-warning systems and evacuation plans, he said. 'Without those efforts, we wouldn't be talking about 30 deaths — we might be looking at hundreds,' he added, referring to the toll around Beijing. 'That's a clear example of successful adaptation.' Last week, torrential rains devastated other parts of northern China, killing two people in the northeastern province of Shandong and at least one in nearby Shanxi province. An additional 13 were unaccounted for after a bus in Shanxi went missing Sunday, Chinese state media reported, following days of rain that had left roads in the area treacherously waterlogged. Heavy rains and floods also killed at least six people in China's southwestern Guizhou province in June, prompting more than 80,000 to evacuate. Landslides in the area had leveled part of an expressway bridge and submerged a sports field three meters underwater. This month, a record summer downpour in the central province of Hubei saw more than a month's worth of rainfall on the city of Xianfeng in less than 12 hours.
The Independent
a day ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Dozens killed in mass flooding across Beijing
Torrential rains have caused the deaths of at least 30 people in Beijing, primarily in the mountainous northern districts of Miyun and Yanqing. Approximately 80,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes due to the severe weather, which has also damaged infrastructure and cut power to 136 villages. Beijing has received nearly a year's worth of rainfall in just a few days, with some northern districts recording up to 543.4mm of rain. The Chinese government has allocated 200 million yuan (£21 million) for post-disaster recovery efforts, focusing on repairing damaged infrastructure and public services. President Xi Jinping has ordered comprehensive search and rescue operations, as northern China experiences record-breaking rainfall, which some scientists link to global warming.
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
‘A big storm unseen in a century': heavy rainfall in Beijing kills at least 30
Read more: Torrential rains had led to at least 30 deaths in Beijing as of July 28, 2025, according to Chinese state media. The nation's leaders have called for all-out disaster relief efforts after 'heavy casualties' were reported in the capital and other parts of the country. Videos of flooding, landslides and rescue efforts have been circulating on social media. Beijing issued the highest-level flood alert for the entire city after six suburban districts were placed under a red alert.
The Independent
a day ago
- Climate
- The Independent
At least 30 dead as almost a year's worth of rain lashes Beijing in matter of days
Torrential rains have killed at least 30 people in Beijing and caused widespread damage in the Chinese capital's mountainous northern region. Beijing has received almost a year's rainfall in a matter of days, prompting authorities to evacuate about 80,000 people from their homes. The unrelenting monsoon rains have damaged roads and communication infrastructure and cut off power to 136 villages as of Monday midnight. Deaths have so far been reported from Beijing's mountainous northern districts, with 28 in Miyun and two in Yanqing. Heavy rain started last Wednesday and intensified around Beijing and surrounding provinces on Monday, with the city getting up to 543.4mm rainfall in its northern districts, Xinhua news agency reported. The average annual rainfall in Beijing is around 600mm. The most intense rain occurred on Saturday in the capital hilly Huairou area, which saw 95.3mm of rainfall in one hour. The Beijing Meteorological Service has issued a yellow rainstorm alert for the Chinese capital city on Tuesday, down from the highest level of red on Monday. The downpour is forecast to continue until Tuesday night with hourly precipitation in some areas exceeding 50mm, Global Times reported. The weather department has asked the public to take precautions due to a heightened risk of secondary disasters such as flash floods, mudslides, and landslides in mountainous and hilly areas. The rains have seen over 730 million cubic meters of water flow into the Miyun reservoir, the largest in China's north, as of Tuesday morning, with 120 million cubic meters discharged since Sunday afternoon. Authorities in Beijing are urging residents to keep clear of downstream rivers as water levels are expected to remain high. The government has allocated 200m yuan (£21m) for post-disaster recovery efforts, state media said. The funds will mainly be used to repair damaged transportation, water, medical and other infrastructure and public service facilities in Miyun and Huairou. Footage shared by state media showed helicopters carrying aid supplies taking off from the Miyun Mujiayu airport 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. "No effort should be spared to search for and rescue those missing or trapped, to transfer and resettle residents in affected areas, and to reduce casualties to the greatest extent possible," Mr Xi said. Premier Li Qiang also said heavy rain and flooding in Beijing's Miyun district had caused "significant casualties", Xinhua reported. Northern China has witnessed record-breaking rainfall in recent years, exposing densely populated cities, including Beijing, to flood risks. Some climate scientists link the higher rainfall in China's usually arid north to global warming. Last week, two people died and 10 went missing after half a year's worth of rain fell in just five hours in the eastern province of Shandong. Extreme weather has caused over 307 deaths or disappearances across the country in the first half of 2025 and resulted in economic losses exceeding $7.6bn, Reuters reported. Beijing recorded its heaviest rainfall in 140 years in 2023 when the brunt of the destruction unfolded in neighbouring Hebei province.
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Climate
- Al Arabiya
Thousands evacuated, businesses closed in southern Taiwan as torrential rain continues
Torrential rains lashed southern Taiwan for a second day on Tuesday, forcing some 3,000 people to evacuate and prompting the closure of businesses and schools, as authorities warned of 'intense' rainfall of up to 90 centimeters (35.4 inches) in the coming days. Flooding triggered by a depression has submerged streets and buildings in several towns and villages across southern Taiwan this week. Nine people have been injured and 88 rescued from inundated buildings and cars so far, according to official data. The Central Weather Administration forecast up to 0.9 meters of rainfall in mountainous areas of the south over the coming days and warned that 'intense' rainfall could trigger further flooding and landslides. Taiwan is still recovering from Typhoon Danas, which struck the island's densely populated west coast with record winds and caused widespread damage to its electricity grid and some houses. In the southern city of Tainan, dozens of people were evacuated from houses damaged by Danas, while Taiwan TV footage showed residents in Chiayi County wading through waterlogged roads, pushing scooters, and navigating around inundated buildings.
