Beijing issues landslide warning as record rainfall batters northern China

Beijing has issued a geological disaster alert for most of the city after intense rainfall triggered fears of landslides and flash floods. Nearby Baoding saw more than a year's worth of rain fall in just eight hours, displacing thousands and breaking historical records.

Beijing authorities on Saturday warned of potential geological disasters such as landslides and mudslides across 10 of the capital’s 16 districts after a wave of intense storms swept northern China. The warning came amid reports of flash floods in mountainous areas surrounding the city.

In neighbouring Hebei province, the industrial city of Baoding experienced unprecedented rainfall, with 540 mm recorded over just eight hours in Fuping County—surpassing the city’s average annual rainfall of around 500 mm. A day earlier, a similar storm struck Yi County, also part of Baoding.

The rain has affected more than 46,000 people in the region, prompting the evacuation of over 4,600 residents.

China’s Water Resources Ministry has issued targeted flood warnings to 11 provinces and regions, including Beijing, Hebei, and Inner Mongolia. The ministry noted that 13 rivers across seven provinces have already surpassed flood warning levels by up to 1.4 metres. Several tributaries in Inner Mongolia and Shaanxi have experienced their highest floods on record.

The East Asian monsoon system, intensified by global warming, is driving the surge in extreme weather across China, particularly in the north, which has traditionally been more arid. Authorities have begun opening large reservoirs in Jilin province to manage water levels, while small reservoirs in the northeast have already exceeded flood limits.

Heavy rains have exposed vulnerabilities in China's flood defences, raising alarm over the potential impact on infrastructure, communities, and the country’s $2.8 trillion agricultural sector.

Copied