A drone view shows flooded farmlands next to the overflowing Chao river, following heavy rainfall in Miyun district of Beijing (Image/Reuters)

Beijing [China], July 29 (ANI): At least 30 people have died following days of heavy rain in the mountainous northern outskirts of Beijing, according to a CNN report citing Chinese state media on Tuesday.

Severe rainstorms have lashed northern China in recent days, leading to flash floods and landslides. In Hebei province, which borders Beijing, a landslide killed four people, while eight others are missing, state media reported.

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In Beijing, the rains intensified on Monday, causing the deaths of 28 people in the Miyun district and two more in the Yanqing district, both located in the northern part of the capital, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The downpours have also damaged dozens of roads and cut off electricity for 136 villages. More than 80,000 people have been relocated, including about 17,000 in Miyun, according to CCTV, as reported by CNN.

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Footage circulating on social media shows brown floodwater sweeping through residential communities, washing away cars, knocking down electricity, and turning streets into rivers in Miyun.

On Monday, Beijing issued its highest-level flood alert, urging residents to stay away from swelling rivers. The city’s meteorological observatory also issued a red alert for rainstorms–the highest in a four-tier system–warning of intensifying rain during the night and “extremely high risk” of flash floods, mudslides, and landslides in mountainous areas.

By Monday evening, authorities ordered schools to be shut, all scenic spots across the city to be closed, and all rural homestays and campsites to suspend operations.

The heavy rainfall and the accompanying floods and geological disasters have caused “significant casualties and property losses” in Beijing and the northern provinces of Hebei, Jilin, and Shandong, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said on Monday, according to CCTV.

Xi instructed officials to make an “all-out effort” to search and rescue those still missing, properly evacuate and resettle residents at risk, and minimise casualties to the greatest extent possible.

On July 27, China’s Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level 4 emergency response for flood control in Beijing, Xinhua reported.

Since Thursday, the Chaobai River has experienced heavy to torrential rainfall. The Miyun Reservoir, located in the northeast suburbs of Beijing, on Sunday recorded its largest inflow flood since the reservoir was built over six decades ago, according to the Ministry. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia’s leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)

China flood mews: Thirty people have died and over 80,000 others were relocated in the latest round of heavy rainstorms in Beijing, the city’s municipal flood control headquarters said on Tuesday. The deaths took place in Beijing’s northern mountainous districts, with 28 in Miyun and two in Yanqing. A total of 80,332 people have been relocated across the city, and the maximum rainfall was registered in Miyun, reaching 543.4 mm, according to local authorities. As per local media reports, a year’s worth of rain fell in a matter of days, stretching the Chinese capital’s disaster management capabilities and prompting some experts to call the city a rain trap.

The rainstorms damaged 31 road sections and disrupted the power supply in 136 villages. In recent days, extreme and severe convective weather, brought by warm, moist air from the edge of the subtropical high, has occurred in Miyun and other areas of Beijing, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

(A man sits in a plastic boat to move to safety after heavy rainfall flooded the region, in Huairou district of Beijing. CREDIT: REUTERS) Flood control headquarters activates highest level of response As of Monday night, Beijing’s municipal flood control headquarters activated the highest level of its citywide flood control emergency response mechanism. Authorities in Beijing have warned the public to stay away from fast-flowing rivers. Heavy rain started over the weekend and intensified around Beijing and surrounding provinces on Monday, with the capital getting rainfall of up to 543.4mm in its northern districts.

ALSO READ: ‘Within Our Sovereignty’: China Justifies $167 Billion Mega Dam Near Arunachal Pradesh On Monday, heavy rains and flooding killed four people, with eight others still missing. “The cumulative amount of precipitation has been extremely high – reaching 80–90 per cent of the annual total in just a few days in some areas,” news agency Reuters reported, citing Xuebin Zhang of the University of Victoria in Canada and CEO of the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (PCIC). “Very few systems are designed to handle such an intense volume of rainfall over such a short period,” Zhang said.

Xi Jinping orders to activate emergency response Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for all-out search and rescue of the missing and trapped and immediate relocation of those in danger in order to minimize casualties. He also urged authorities to plan for worst-case and extreme scenarios, clarify responsibilities, implement flood control measures meticulously, closely monitor and reinforce vulnerable and critical areas, and allocate rescuers and supplies based on scientific assessment. “Emergency response must be activated and carried out at the earliest possible moment to fully protect people’s lives and property,” he said.

HEAVY RAIN KILLED more than 30 people and forced authorities to evacuate tens of thousands as swathes of northern China were lashed by torrential downpours that sparked deadly landslides, state media has said.

Weather authorities have issued their second-highest rainstorm warning for the capital Beijing, neighbouring Hebei and Tianjin, as well as ten other provinces in northern, eastern and southern China, state news agency Xinhua said.

The rains are expected to last into Wednesday, it added.

As of midnight Monday, “the latest round of heavy rainstorms has left 30 people dead in Beijing”, Xinhua said, citing the city’s municipal flood control headquarters.

Over 80,000 people have been evacuated in the Chinese capital alone, local state-run outlet Beijing Daily said on social media.

The death toll was highest in Miyun, a suburban district northeast of the city centre, it said.

“This time the rain was unusually heavy, it’s not normally like this,” a resident of Miyun, surnamed Jiang, told AFP as water streamed down the road outside her house.

“The road is full of water so people aren’t going to work,” she said.

At a village called Xinanzhuang visited by AFP journalists, murky water submerged homes, cars and a road leading onto a highway.

A local man in his sixties said that he had never seen water levels so high.

Nearby, spillways gushed with torrents of water leading out of the Miyun Reservoir, which authorities said has reached its highest levels since its construction in 1959.

Also badly affected were Huairou district in the north of the city and Fangshan in the southwest, state media said.

Dozens of roads have been closed and over 130 villages have lost electricity, Beijing Daily said.

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A damaged road in the Miyun district near Beijing. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“Please pay attention to weather forecasts and warnings and do not go to risk areas unless necessary,” the outlet said.

And in Hebei, which encircles the capital, a landslide in a village near the city of Chengde killed eight people, with four still missing, state broadcaster CCTV reported Tuesday.

Local authorities have issued flash flood warnings through Tuesday evening, with the city of Chengde and surrounding areas under the highest alert, Hebei’s radio and television station said.

‘All-out efforts’

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged authorities late Monday to plan for worst-case scenarios and rush the relocation of residents of flood-threatened areas.

Beijing Daily said local officials had “made all-out efforts to search and rescue missing persons… and made every effort to reduce casualties”.

The government has allocated 350 million yuan (€42 million) for disaster relief in nine regions hit by heavy rains, state broadcaster CCTV said Tuesday.

They include northern Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, northeastern Jilin, eastern Shandong and southern Guangdong.

A damaged road in Taishitun town near Beijing. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

A separate 200 million yuan has been set aside for the capital, the broadcaster said.

In 2023, heavy rain killed over 80 people across northern and northeastern China, including at least 29 people in Hebei where severe flooding destroyed homes and crop fields.

Some reports at the time suggested the province shouldered the burden of a government decision to divert the deluge away from the capital.

Climate change factor

Natural disasters are common across China, particularly in the summer when some regions experience heavy rain while others bake in searing heat.

China is the world’s biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases that scientists say drive climate change and contribute to making extreme weather more frequent and intense.

But it is also a global renewable energy powerhouse that aims to make its massive economy carbon-neutral by 2060.

Flash floods in the eastern Shandong province killed two people and left 10 missing this month.

A landslide on a highway in Sichuan province this month also killed five people after it swept several cars down a mountainside.

A sudden flood in Miyun, Beijing, swept away vehicles, forcing residents to seek safety as they awaited rescue from rising waters.

www.bbc.com

Severe flooding has struck suburban Beijing, leaving residents in shock as waters surged unexpectedly. On July 29, 2025, eyewitnesses described the flood as a sudden and overwhelming event, with vehicles swept away in moments.

5 Key Takeaways Floodwaters swept away vehicles in Miyun

Residents rescued by crawler equipment

Zhuang Zhelin described sudden flood arrival

Wei Zhengming sought safety upstairs

Concerns about potential rescue delays

Local shopowner Zhuang Zhelin recounted, “The flood came rushing in, just like that.” Many residents were forced to seek higher ground, fearing for their safety as the waters rose rapidly. The urgency of the situation highlights the increasing unpredictability of weather patterns worldwide.

Fast Answer: Flooding in suburban Beijing has prompted urgent rescues, emphasizing the need for global awareness of climate change impacts.

This incident raises critical questions about urban preparedness for extreme weather events. Are cities worldwide equipped to handle such rapid flooding? The implications are significant:

Increased frequency of extreme weather events.

Need for improved urban infrastructure.

Importance of community awareness and preparedness.

The global relevance of this event underscores the urgent need for climate action to mitigate future disasters.

As communities worldwide face similar threats, it is essential to prioritize sustainable practices and enhance emergency response strategies to protect lives and property.

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– Thirty people have been killed in Beijing and over 80,000 evacuated as at midnight on July 29, after almost a year’s worth of rain hit the capital in a matter of days, and prompting some experts to call the city a rain trap.

The deaths were reported in Beijing’s mountainous northern districts near the Great Wall , with 28 in Miyun and two in Yanqing. State media did not specify when or how the deaths occurred.

Heavy rain started on July 23 and intensified around Beijing and its surrounding provinces on July 28, with the capital getting rainfall of up to 543.4mm in its northern districts, said Xinhua.

The average annual rainfall in Beijing is around 600mm.

“The cumulative amount of precipitation has been extremely high – reaching 80–90 per cent of the annual total in just a few days in some areas,” said Mr Zhang Xuebin of the University of Victoria in Canada and CEO of the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (PCIC).

“Very few systems are designed to handle such an intense volume of rainfall over such a short period.”

The local topography – mountains to the west and north – “trapped” the moist air and forced it to rise, enhancing the extraordinary amount of precipitation, he said.

The most intense rain occurred on July 26 in Beijing’s hilly Huairou, which saw 95.3mm of rain in one hour.

Over 80,000 people have been evacuated in the Chinese capital alone, and dozens of roads have been closed, with over 130 villages losing electricity, according to Beijing Daily.

“Please pay attention to weather forecasts and warnings, and do not go to risk areas unless necessary,” the media outlet said.

Also badly affected were Huairou district in the north of the city and Fangshan in the south-west, state media said.

In Miyun, a resident surnamed Liu said he watched flood waters sweep away vehicles outside his apartment block on early Monday morning. AFP journalists on the scene witnessed a crawler lifting people and a dog to safety, as rescuers waded through water up to their knees.

Nearby, in the town of Mujiayu, AFP journalists saw a reservoir release a torrent of water.

A road and a bridge affected by flood at Xiaying Village of Xiaying Town, Jizhou District of north China’s Tianjin, on July 28. PHOTO: EPA

Power lines were swept away by muddy currents, while military vehicles and ambulances ploughed flooded streets. Firefighters rescued 48 people trapped in an elderly care centre, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

On July 29, parks, libraries and museums including the Palace Museum at the Forbidden City were closed. Train and bus services in the suburbs and along waterways were suspended. Hundreds of flights were cancelled or delayed at Beijing’s two airports, state media reported.

All-out efforts

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the authorities late on July 28 to plan for worst-case scenarios and rush the relocation of residents in flood-threatened areas.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang also said heavy rain and flooding in Beijing’s Miyun district had caused “significant casualties”, according to Xinhua.

Beijing Daily said local officials had “made all-out efforts to search and rescue missing persons… and made every effort to reduce casualties”.

In Hebei province, which encircles the capital, a landslide in a village near the city of Chengde killed four people, with eight still missing, CCTV reported on July 28.

More than 730 million cubic m of water has flowed into the Miyun Reservoir – the largest in China’s north – as at July 29 morning, and 120 million cubic m has been discharged since July 27 afternoon.

Beijing is urging residents to keep clear of downstream rivers whose water levels are expected to remain high.

China’s National Development and Reform Commission said on July 29 that it was urgently arranging 200 million yuan (S$35.8 million) to support Beijing in its flood relief efforts.

The funds will mainly be used to repair damaged transportation, water, medical and other infrastructure and public service facilities in Miyun and Huairou, the commission said.

The Finance Ministry also allocated 350 million yuan on July 29 to aid disaster relief efforts in Beijing and other provinces.

Natural disasters are common across China, particularly in the summer when some regions experience heavy rain while others bake in searing heat. The country is the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, which scientists say drive climate change and contribute to making extreme weather more frequent and intense.

But it is also a global renewable energy powerhouse that aims to make its massive economy carbon-neutral by 2060.

Separately, flash floods in the eastern Shandong province killed two people and left 10 missing in July.

Also, a landslide on a highway in Sichuan province in July killed five people after it swept several cars down a mountainside. AFP, REUTERS