China rains: 30 killed in Beijing floods; 80,000 evacuated amid ongoing rescue efforts

Heavy rainfall in Beijing has resulted in at least 30 fatalities, Chinese officials confirmed on Tuesday, as severe storms caused floods and landslides across northern China.By midnight, Miyun, a mountainous area in northeastern Beijing, received over 21 inches of rainfall, with 28 deaths recorded there, according to state broadcaster CCTV, quoted by NYT . The city-wide average rainfall exceeded 6 inches.Yanqing district in northwestern Beijing reported two additional deaths. The rainfall began on Saturday, though the timing of the fatalities remained unspecified. "Continuous heavy rainfall caused major disasters," CCTV reported on Tuesday as rain continued to fall.The broadcaster revealed that over 80,000 Beijing residents have been evacuated. Numerous roads sustained damage, whilst 136 villages within Beijing's administrative region, predominantly rural areas, experienced power outages.Beijing, on Monday night, issued its highest flood alert, advising residents to remain indoors unless essential. Authorities ordered the closure of schools and construction sites.Prior to the casualty announcement on Monday evening, state media reported that Xi Jinping, China's leader, instructed officials to prioritise flood prevention and rescue operations. According to Xinhua news agency, he noted that China was "currently in the critical period of flood prevention from July to August."He acknowledged significant casualties and property damage across northern and eastern China in recent days.Other northern Chinese regions reported rain-related deaths, including Shanxi province, where a bus disappeared on Sunday. In Jinan, Shandong province, at least two people perished last week after receiving half a year's typical rainfall within five hours.Beijing experienced its heaviest rainfall in 140 years during 2023. However, neighbouring Hebei province bore the brunt of the damage after officials opened floodgates to "build a 'moat' for the capital." This decision sparked outrage among Hebei residents who claimed insufficient warning.In 2012, devastating floods in Beijing and Hebei claimed 145 lives.