At least 30 people have been killed by severe rainfall and flooding in Beijing as heavy rains drench the Chinese capital. The deaths occurred in Beijing’s mountainous northern districts, with 28 killed in Miyun and two in Yanqing, according to the official Xinhua state news agency.
“The latest round of heavy rainstorms has left 30 people dead in Beijing as of midnight Monday,” Xinhua said, citing the city’s municipal flood control headquarters. Torrential rain started over the weekend and intensified around the Chinese capital and surrounding provinces on Monday, with Beijing recording rainfall of up to 543mm in its northern districts.
Authorities in Beijing have relocated more than 80,000 residents from areas worst hit by flooding, which has damaged dozens of roads and cut power to at least 136 villages. The heaviest rain in Beijing is expected early on Tuesday, with rainfall of up to 300mm forecast for some areas.
Chinese President Xi Jinping late on Monday night ordered “all-out” search and rescue efforts to minimize casualties, as authorities ordered people to stay indoors, closed schools, suspended construction work, and stopped outdoor tourism and other activities until the emergency warning is lifted.
In the town of Taishitun, about 100km northeast of central Beijing, streets were covered in mud and water on Monday, and uprooted trees lay in piles with their bare roots exposed. “The flood came rushing in, just like that, so fast and suddenly. In no time at all, the place was filling up,” said local resident Zhuang Zhelin, who was clearing mud with his family from their building materials shop.
Earlier reports on Monday said the torrential rains and flooding had killed four people, with eight others missing, following a landslide in the country’s Hebei province, located south of Beijing.
The severe rainfall and flooding have caused significant disruption in Beijing, with authorities working to respond to the emergency and minimize casualties. The situation remains critical, with more heavy rain forecast for the area.