Four Dead, Thousands Evacuated as Floods Hit Northern China
Heavy rains and floods across northern China have killed four people, with eight missing and thousands evacuated. Beijing, Hebei, and Shanxi have been severely affected. Roads, homes, and power lines were damaged. Authorities continue rescue efforts as extreme weather intensifies across the region.
Heavy rains have left at least four people dead and eight missing as of Monday, 28 July 2025, causing major flooding throughout northern China. Beijing, Hebei, and Shanxi are among the areas that have seen torrent downpours; extensive evacuations and emergency response efforts have been undertaken.
Over 4,000 suburban Miyun district inhabitants in Beijing had to evacuate after relentless rain produced hazardous flooding. The second-highest national warning for rainstorms was given by authorities, who also assigned the highest level for flood alerts. The rain is projected to linger into Tuesday morning, therefore heightening worries of increasing damage.
Among the hardest-hit areas was Hebei province, which encircles the capital. Heavy rain led a landslide in a hamlet close to the city of Chengde. According to CCTV, four persons were confirmed dead while eight others are yet unaccounted for. Describing the flood as catastrophic, the national department of emergency management sent teams to evaluate and address it. Two more fatalities were said earlier over the weekend in the same county.
As rivers overflowed and roadways became impassable over the weekend, over 4,600 people were evacuated in Hebei's Fuping County. Local news footage of extensive flooding showed fields and roads under water with strong currents carrying away power lines and debris.
West of Hebei, Shanxi province also saw a lot of rain. State media reported that in one event a bus crash connected to flooding left one person rescued and 13 others missing. Important roads and infrastructure were destroyed by rushing floodwaters, therefore posing great difficulties for rescue and search teams.
In afflicted communities, residents reported the circumstances as unlike anything they had ever seen. 67-year-old Cui Xueji told journalists in Taishitun hamlet that although villagers had prepared some, they were crushed by the extent of the floods. Journalists saw a reservoir releasing a surge of water into already saturated areas in the nearby village of Mujiaya. Navigating damaged and underwater roads, military cars and ambulances were sent to help with rescue and relief efforts.
Rivers in the area flooded their banks, destroying power lines and trees. Farmlands were underwater; floodwaters encircled many low-rise homes. Showing the degree of devastation caused by the floods, concrete pieces and shattered guardrails lay dispersed throughout main highways.
Responding to the catastrophe, Chinas National Development and Reform Commission set aside 50 million yuan (about US$7 million) to help Hebei rebuild post-disaster infrastructure and support it. The money seeks to enable the province to swiftly rebuild key services and guarantee affected communities better living conditions.
Common in China, where regional extremes range from severe heatwaves to torrential monsoon rain, natural disasters happen in the summer season. Although flash floods have long presented a seasonal problem, their frequency and severity have grown recently.
As a contributing cause of the increase in severe weather incidents across the nation, climate specialists keep pointing to the more general effect of climate change. Still the greatest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, China Simultaneously, it is aggressively seeking for clean energy solutions and has promised to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
Northern China's flooding is the most recent in a string of recent catastrophes. Earlier this month, flash floods in Shandong province took ten missing and claimed two lives. Another disaster, a landslide in Sichuan province, swept five people to their death as numerous cars were down a highway.
The present circumstances in Beijing and its nearby areas show the great need for measures for climate resilience and disaster preparedness. Finding missing people, repairing damaged buildings, and stopping more life loss remain the top priority as relief efforts go on.
Source: Agence France- Presse
Photographic Credit: AFP
What's Your Reaction?
