Heavy rain and floods around Beijing have claimed the lives of two people, and thousands are being relocated to safer areas. The country's government is issuing warnings about the risk of landslides and floods caused by intense rainfall.
According to official data, two people died in Hebei Province, and two others are missing. In particular, Fuping County recorded 145 mm of rainfall per hour overnight — a record for the region.
China’s Ministry of Water Resources has issued special alerts to Beijing, Hebei, and nine other provinces about the risk of floods in small and medium rivers and overflows in mountain streams.
Miyun County, near Beijing, is among the hardest-hit areas, with some villages experiencing power outages and communication disruptions. According to local radio reports, more than 3,000 people have been evacuated from the area.
Meteorological observations suggest that heavy rains will continue in the coming hours. In some areas around Miyun, more than 100 mm of rainfall is expected within six hours, increasing the risk of water accumulation in lowlands.
On Saturday, Beijing authorities raised the danger level for landslides, mudflows, and floods following the heavy rains. In Baoding City, the equivalent of a year’s worth of rainfall — 540 mm — fell in just eight hours. This amount exceeds the city’s average annual precipitation. As a result, over 46,000 people were affected, and 4,655 were evacuated.
In recent years, rainfall has increased in China’s typically arid northern regions. Some link this to global warming. At present, such intense rainfall poses a major challenge to the country’s infrastructure, particularly outdated flood protection systems. These events threaten millions of lives and cause severe damage to China’s $2.8 trillion agricultural sector.
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