As nearly a year’s worth of rain battered Beijing in just a few days, thirty people were reported dead by midnight on Monday, according to China’s official news agency Xinhua.
The deaths were reported in Beijing’s mountainous northern districts, with 28 in Miyun and two in Yanqing. State media did not specify when or how the deaths occurred.
Heavy rain started last Wednesday and intensified around Beijing and surrounding provinces on Monday, with the capital getting rainfall of up to 543.4 mm (21.4 inches) in its northern districts, Xinhua said. The average annual rainfall in Beijing is around 600 mm.
Thousands Relocated
Authorities relocated more than 80,000 residents of Beijing as the rain hit, Xinhua reported. Roads and communication infrastructure were damaged, and power to 136 villages were cut off as of midnight Monday.
The most intense rain occurred on Saturday in Beijing’s hilly Huairou, which saw 95.3 mm of rain in one hour.
‘All-Out’ Search And Rescue Efforts
Late on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said there had been “heavy casualties and property losses” in Beijing and the provinces of Hebei, Jilin and Shandong, and ordered “all-out” search and rescue efforts.
Premier Li Qiang also said heavy rain and flooding in Beijing’s Miyun district had caused “significant casualties”, according to Xinhua.
Highest-Level Alert Issued
Beijing issued its highest-level rain and flood alerts on Monday, advising residents to not leave their homes.
More than 730 million cubic meters of water has flown into the Miyun reservoir – the largest in China’s north – as of Tuesday morning, and 120 million cubic meters has been discharged since Sunday afternoon.
Beijing has urged residents to keep clear of downstream rivers whose water levels are expected to remain high.
China’s National Development and Reform Commission said on Tuesday that it was urgently arranging 200 million yuan ($27.9 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 NDRC said.
China’s finance ministry also allocated 350 million yuan on Tuesday to aid disaster relief efforts in Beijing and other provinces.
($1 = 7.1778 yuan)
(With inputs from Reuters)
