Over 30 Killed in Beijing Floods Amid Record Rainfall and Evacuations

Over 30 Killed in Beijing Floods Amid Record Rainfall and Evacuations
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Over 30 people have died due to severe flooding and torrential rain in Beijing and surrounding areas, The Guardian reported, with tens of thousands forced to evacuate.
State broadcaster CCTV said 28 deaths occurred in Beijing’s Miyun district and two in Yanqing. In neighboring Hebei province, a landslide killed four people, and eight remain missing.

Heavy rainfall began over the weekend and intensified on Monday, with northern Beijing receiving up to 543.4mm of rain. The flooding damaged infrastructure, knocked out power in 136 villages, and forced the relocation of more than 80,000 people. Authorities issued the highest-level rain and flood alerts, closed schools, suspended construction, and advised residents to stay indoors.

President Xi Jinping called for an “all-out” search and rescue effort, while Premier Li Qiang acknowledged the high casualties in Miyun. The Miyun reservoir, at its highest level since 1959, began releasing water to prevent overflow, prompting warnings to downstream communities.

Beijing previously faced extreme floods in 2023 that displaced one million people. Experts link rising flood frequency and intensity to climate change, warning of more frequent disasters due to global warming. The central government has deployed emergency teams and allocated $7 million to support Hebei’s recovery efforts.