As of 9 p.m. on 4/8, tens of thousands of people had been relocated from at-risk areas, according to Beijing's flood control authority. Officials also warned of the continued risk of flooding in suburban districts, including Miyun, which was hardest hit by the floods last week, Fangshan, Mentougou, and Huairou.
The city's weather agency issued a red alert, the highest warning level in the 4-tier system, forecasting heavy rain until the morning of 5/8. In some areas, rainfall could reach 200 mm in 6 hours.
Beijing, a city of 22 million people, receives an average of 600 mm of rainfall annually. In response to the new rainfall, the Chinese capital has placed all 16 districts on high alert, closed sections of the Great Wall and other outdoor recreational sites, and suspended operations of underground businesses. Officials have stated the risk of flash floods and landslides is extremely high.
Flooding in Beijing's outskirts during heavy rains from 23/7 to 29/7 left at least 44 people dead and 9 missing. Among them, 31 deaths occurred at an elderly care center in Miyun. A local official acknowledged "shortcomings" in disaster preparedness.
 |
Flooded homes in Miyun district, Beijing, China on 29/7. Photo: Reuters |
Flooded homes in Miyun district, Beijing, China on 29/7. Photo: Reuters
Residents in the flooded areas said they were astonished by the speed with which the water entered their homes and devastated their villages.
Beijing's topography has been described by some as a "rain trap," with mountains to the west and north trapping air, leading to heavy rainfall. In the summer of 2012, 79 people died in Beijing during the city's most severe flooding, with Fangshan being the hardest hit.
Natural disasters frequently occur across China, especially during the summer, with some areas experiencing heavy rainfall while others endure intense heat.
As of 2/8, torrential rains swept through the "Beijing Valley," a riverside resort in Chengde City, Hebei Province, bordering Beijing, killing three people and leaving four missing. In Guangdong Province, southern China, five bodies were recovered after a large-scale search involving more than 1,300 rescue workers last weekend.
Huyen Le (According to AFP, Reuters)
