Due to record-breaking heavy rain in Beijing, China, more than 30 people have died and 80,000 have been evacuated. Photo by EPA Yonhap News
Record-breaking heavy rainfall in Beijing, China has resulted in the deaths of over 30 people and the evacuation of 80,000 residents.
State-run China Central Television (CCTV) reported that as of midnight on July 28, the average precipitation across all districts of Beijing had reached 165.9 mm due to several consecutive days of heavy rain. In particular, Miyun District recorded a maximum rainfall of 543.4 mm.
The total number of deaths caused by disasters resulting from the extreme rainfall has reached 30 so far. Miyun District suffered the greatest loss, with 28 out of the 30 fatalities occurring in this area. The remaining 2 deaths were reported in Yanqing District.
The disaster has also caused significant damage to infrastructure. Across the city, 31 roads have been damaged, and power supply has been cut off in 136 villages. In terms of telecommunications, 62 optical cables have been damaged and operations have ceased at 1,825 base stations.
As the damage from the heavy rain worsened, the Beijing city government launched an emergency response. President Xi Jinping ordered rescue operations and the evacuation of disaster victims, emphasizing, "All regions and relevant departments must firmly establish an extreme mindset and fully reinforce political responsibility to implement disaster prevention measures." So far, a total of 80,332 people have been urgently evacuated across Beijing, with 16,934 from Miyun District, 10,464 from Huairou District, and 9,904 from Fangshan District.
Chinese authorities are continuing rescue and recovery operations, urging citizens to pay close attention to weather forecasts and disaster alerts and to refrain from entering dangerous areas.
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