Heavy rainfall in northern China‘s Hebei province has resulted in a devastating landslide, claiming four lives and leaving eight others missing. The incident occurred in a village near Chengde city, according to state broadcaster CCTV, which reported that the landslide was “due to heavy rainfall”. Authorities have issued flood warnings in the capital Beijing and at least 11 provinces, warning of intensifying conditions and heightened disaster risks in the coming days.
The relentless rain has pounded the suburban area of Miyun in Beijing, causing flash floods and landslides that have affected many villages. Over 4,400 people have been relocated to safer areas, while electricity cuts have affected more than 10,000 people in the region. CCTV showed images of Miyun with cars and trucks floating on flooded roads and residential buildings submerged.
This severe weather is part of a broader pattern of extreme weather across China, attributed to the East Asian monsoon, which has caused disruptions in the world’s second-largest economy. Northern China has seen record precipitation in recent years, exposing densely populated cities like Beijing to flood risks. Some scientists link the increased rainfall in China’s usually arid north to global warming.
The Central Meteorological Observatory has warned that heavy rainfall will continue to drench northern China over the next three days. In response, Beijing has issued its highest-level flood alert. The national emergency management department has dispatched a team to inspect the “severe” flooding in Hebei, which encircles Beijing.
The storms have also affected neighboring Shanxi province, where roads were filled with water and vegetation was submerged, including crops and trees. Shaanxi province, home to China’s historic city of Xi’an, has also issued flash flood disaster risk warnings.
China’s National Development and Reform Commission has urgently arranged 50 million yuan ($7 million) to support Hebei, which will be used to repair damaged infrastructure, including roads, bridges, water conservancy embankments, schools, and hospitals in the disaster area. This financial support aims to restore normal life and production as soon as possible.
Natural disasters are a recurring issue in China, particularly during the summer months when heavy rainfall and heatwaves affect different regions. Recent incidents include flash floods in eastern China’s Shandong province, which killed two people and left 10 missing, and a landslide on a highway in Sichuan province that claimed five lives after sweeping several cars down a mountainside.