Beijing: Severe monsoon rains have triggered large-scale evacuations and emergency responses across northern China, with more than 4,400 people evacuated from flood-prone areas surrounding Beijing. The downpour, which intensified over the weekend, has left vast swathes of the capital’s outskirts submerged and placed critical infrastructure under immense strain.
The worst-hit areas include Miyun District in Beijing and nearby regions in Hebei province. In Miyun, local authorities moved thousands of residents to emergency shelters after rising river levels and landslides threatened villages. The Miyun Reservoir, a vital water source for Beijing, is now witnessing record-high inflows of over 6,500 cubic meters per second, raising alarms about potential overflow and structural stress.
Across Hebei, the situation has also grown dire. The city of Baoding recorded rainfall of 145 millimeters per hour at its peak. The unrelenting downpour caused waterlogging in urban centers and led to the deaths of at least two people, while two others remain missing. Flash floods and mudslides have severed road access to several towns, isolating communities and delaying relief efforts.
The Ministry of Water Resources has issued red alerts for flooding and geological hazards across 11 provinces, including Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, and Shaanxi. Warnings cite the potential for river breaches, landslides, and flash floods from medium and small rivers, which are often overlooked in conventional flood control planning.
This intense rainfall is part of a broader climate pattern affecting northern China, where prolonged droughts are now being followed by destructive rain events. Climate scientists attribute the scale and intensity of the deluge to rising global temperatures, which are altering the behavior of the East Asian monsoon and leading to more erratic precipitation cycles.
Local governments have mobilized emergency services, while Beijing has announced an emergency fund of 50 million yuan to facilitate rescue and recovery operations. Meanwhile, in Datong, rescue efforts are ongoing to locate individuals reportedly trapped or missing after sudden floods swept away vehicles and inundated rural highways.
The scale of the disaster has prompted calls for a comprehensive overhaul of China's flood control mechanisms, especially in urban areas where drainage systems are outdated and unable to cope with the current frequency of extreme weather. As rainfall is expected to continue in the coming days, the country remains on high alert, bracing for further disruptions and damage.
This incident is another stark reminder of the growing impact of climate change on China’s densely populated and rapidly urbanizing regions. As the rains persist, officials are urging citizens to stay indoors, avoid travel through flood-affected routes, and follow updates from meteorological and disaster management authorities.