Severe flooding devastates multiple regions in China, rescue work underway

Massive rainfall has severely impacted various regions in China, with Beijing and neighboring Hebei Province facing significant destruction. Rescue operations are in full swing.

Beijing has experienced a continuous extreme downpour, with the city's average precipitation reaching 165.9 mm as of midnight on Monday.

A total of 30 lives have been claimed in the Chinese capital's northern mountainous districts – 28 in Miyun District and two in Yanqing. Infrastructure has been heavily affected, with 31 road sections damaged and 136 villages left without power.

In response, Beijing has intensified flood prevention efforts, and 80,332 residents have been relocated. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has allocated 200 million yuan ($27.9 million) to aid relief operations.

Hebei Province, including Chengde and Baoding, has also suffered significant damage. In Luanping County, a landslide triggered by heavy rain killed eight people, with four missing. Fuping County in Baoding saw record-breaking daily precipitation, causing two deaths and leaving two missing. The NDRC has allocated 50 million yuan for post-disaster recovery in Hebei.

On July 28, the National Commission for Disaster Reduction activated a level-IV national emergency response in Beijing and Hebei. A working group has been dispatched to assess the situation and guide local authorities in relief efforts.

Additional relief supplies, including 43,000 items and 2,000 family emergency kits, have been sent to the affected regions.

Tianjin's Jizhou District also experienced extreme rainfall, triggering the largest mountain flood in 70 years. Thirteen villages along the Juhe River were flooded. By July 28, 10,527 people had been relocated, and seven resettlement stations were activated.

The heavy rain has affected other areas in east and northeast China, leading to floods and geological disasters that have resulted in significant loss of life and property damage. 

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management allocated 350 million yuan to support the ongoing relief efforts.

The funds will be mainly distributed to nine provinces and municipalities – Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Shandong, Guangdong and Shaanxi – to support rescue operations, provide relief for affected populations, assist in the restoration of homes and help prevent secondary disasters.