BEIJING: Recent catastrophic flooding in and around Beijing, China’s capital, has inflicted profound suffering as the death toll surges to 33, including five brave rescuers, with another 18 people still unaccounted for.
This disaster has been exacerbated by relentless heavy rainfall that continues to affect vast areas across northern China.
China’s capital has borne the brunt of unprecedented rainfall over the past few weeks, inflicting severe damage on vital infrastructure and submerging significant portions of suburban and adjacent regions. Officials have reported that the relentless bad weather in Beijing has resulted in the loss of 33 lives and left 18 others missing, primarily due to the deluge and structural collapses.
The impact of this catastrophe has been particularly felt in the mountainous western outskirts of Beijing, where days of incessant rain triggered the collapse of a staggering 59,000 residences. Additionally, almost 150,000 other homes sustained damage, while over 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) of cropland were inundated, according to the city’s administration.
The toll on the transportation network has been immense, with many roads and over 100 bridges experiencing significant damage, as highlighted by Beijing’s Vice Mayor, Xia Linmao, during a recent press briefing. Linmao extended condolences to the victims and their families, expressing sorrow for those who perished in the line of duty.
The aftermath of Typhoon Doksuri, which struck China more than a week ago, has unveiled the magnitude of devastation caused by flooding and building collapses. Al Jazeera’s correspondent, Katrina Yu, based in Beijing, described this as the most severe natural disaster to hit the capital in years, the last comparable storm occurring in 2012. Disturbingly, the areas worst affected by the previous typhoon disaster over a decade ago found themselves in the crosshairs once again.
Questions regarding the inadequate implementation of lessons from past storms have arisen, prompting discussions about the lack of reinforcement for buildings and roads. Beijing’s ongoing struggle with flood-related incidents has underscored the urgency of more robust mitigation strategies.
Beyond Beijing, other regions in China have been grappling with their own flood-related calamities, with reports of numerous casualties due to floodwaters. The northern part of the country has been pounded by incessant heavy rain since late July, leaving millions of lives disrupted. Recent statistics reveal that 147 deaths or disappearances last month were attributed to natural disasters. Of these, 142 were a result of flooding or geological catastrophes, according to China’s Ministry of Emergency Management.
Provinces neighboring Beijing have also borne the brunt of the disaster, with Hebei province reporting 15 deaths and 22 people missing. Meanwhile, in the northeastern province of Jilin, 14 casualties were recorded, along with one person reported missing. Further north in Heilongjiang, dozens of rivers breached their “warning markers,” indicating a critical water level rise.
China’s history has witnessed some of its most catastrophic floods, with the most devastating occurring in 1998, claiming the lives of over 4,000 people, predominantly along the Yangtze River. More recently, in 2021, over 300 lives were lost in the central province of Henan due to record rainfall that led to widespread flooding in the provincial capital, Zhengzhou. The city’s streets transformed into rushing rivers, and a portion of the subway system was inundated.
In addition to the catastrophic floods, several regions across China are grappling with intense summer heat and prolonged drought, which threatens both public health and agricultural yields. The challenges posed by these diverse weather extremes highlight the pressing need for robust disaster preparedness, infrastructure resilience, and sustainable water management strategies.
