Beijing evacuates residents, expands storm alert as deadly floods keep city on edge

Beijing had evacuated over 70,000 residents by Monday afternoon as authorities issued fresh warnings of intense rainfall, just a week after deadly floods left dozens dead in the city’s worst deluge since 2012.

Forecasters predicted up to 200mm (7.9 inches) of rain could fall in parts of the capital within six hours, an alarming figure for a city that typically sees about 600mm annually. The alert came as emergency teams rushed to strengthen flood barriers, improve forecasting systems, and refine evacuation procedures, following harrowing scenes of people being swept away in floodwaters, including three fatalities reported at a wellness camp in Hebei province.

From 23 to 29 July, at least 44 people died in Beijing, many caught off guard by sudden floods, particularly at a nursing home in the northeastern Miyun district. The incident prompted officials to acknowledge significant flaws in their emergency planning.

As of noon Monday, all 16 districts of Beijing had been placed on the highest state of emergency readiness- the first such declaration since 28 July. Authorities shut down sections of the Great Wall and other outdoor attractions, while also suspending operations of underground businesses due to the “extremely high” risk of flash floods and landslides.

By 2 p.m., nearly 14,000 of those evacuated were from the mountainous Mentougou district in western Beijing, according to state media.

In 2012, the city’s worst recorded flooding killed 79 people, especially affecting Fangshan district. Beijing’s geography, surrounded by mountains to the west and north, creates a natural “trap” for rain-bearing clouds, often intensifying rainfall levels.

Tragedy at wellness retreat

In Hebei province, just outside Beijing, torrential rains struck the 'Beijing Valley' wellness retreat in Chengde on 27 July, killing three people and leaving four unaccounted for, according to Xinhua. Around 40 people had gathered for an event on the site, reportedly camping on low-lying terrain near a river bend. By 2 a.m. the following day, floodwaters reached knee height, forcing a chaotic escape through the site’s only exit.

The disaster bore eerie resemblance to the recent tragedy at Camp Mystic in Texas, where 28 children died after flash floods overwhelmed a riverside camp.

Meanwhile, in China’s southern Guangdong province, five bodies were recovered over the weekend following a large-scale search involving more than 1,300 rescuers. The victims had gone missing Friday night during flash floods triggered by days of heavy rain, Xinhua reported.

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