As worries about flash floods and landslides grew, heavy rains continued to batter the Chinese capital and neighboring provinces Monday, forcing the evacuation of almost 4,400 residents from the Miyun area on the outskirts of Beijing.
According to authorities, the region is now more vulnerable to disasters as a result of the prolonged rain, with numerous settlements submerged and extensive disruptions documented. A massive downpour in Miyun caused flash floods, which partially enveloped residential buildings and inundated roadways. Videos showed automobiles and trucks floating in deep floodwaters, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Officials verified that power disruptions have affected around 10,000 persons in the area. The recent period of intense rain is a component of a larger trend of severe weather that is associated with the East Asian monsoon and is spreading through China. The extraordinary increase in precipitation in northern China, which is typically known for its arid climate, has been attributed by scientists more and more to climate change.
Floodwaters forced more than 100 residents of Miyun’s Xiwanzi village, which is close to the vital Miyun Reservoir, to evacuate to a nearby school. According to officials, Sunday’s flood peak inflow into the reservoir was the biggest in recorded history, at a record 6,550 cubic meters per second.
Strong water currents were reported flooding roads further west in Shanxi province, and official TV footage showed fallen trees and submerged farmlands. In Shaanxi province, which is home to the ancient city of Xi’an, flash flood warnings were also issued.
Two high-risk road segments in the Pinggu area have been sealed by Beijing officials due to the flood threat. According to People’s Daily, search and rescue efforts are in progress in all impacted locations, including Datong, where a driver was washed away while trying to cross floodwaters.
Hebei, the province that borders Beijing, was one of 11 provinces and regions that were under flood warnings from the Ministry of Water Resources. Rainfall hit a record-breaking 145 millimeters per hour in Hebei’s Baoding city, specifically in the county of Fuping, resulting in at least two verified deaths and two people reported missing, according to official media.
China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) hastily approved a 50 million yuan (about $6.98 million) emergency grant for Hebei on Monday to boost rescue efforts. In order to bring normalcy back to the impacted areas, the funds will be used to repair damaged roads, bridges, embankments, schools, and hospitals.
Given the burden on the nation’s aging flood defenses and the serious threat to its $2.8 trillion agriculture sector, Chinese officials are still closely monitoring areas that are vulnerable to flooding.
