Beijing – At least 44 people have died and 9 remain missing due to relentless rainfall and flooding in Beijing this week. Thousands have been displaced as the torrential downpours damaged roads, disrupted electricity supply, and forced emergency evacuations across the region.
According to local authorities, the deaths were mainly reported from the northern hilly districts of Miyun and Yanqing, where heavy rainfall began last Saturday. Rescue and relief operations have been ongoing for the past four days.
Over 80,000 residents have been relocated to safer areas as a precautionary measure. The downpours led to the collapse of 31 roads and cut power supply to 136 villages, adding to the challenges for emergency services.
On Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping directed officials to make all possible efforts to ensure the safety of people and their property in rain and landslide-affected areas.
To support the ongoing rescue operations, China’s Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Emergency Managementreleased 350 million yuan (approximately 49 million USD) in relief funds to nine provincial regions, including Beijing. Additionally, the National Development and Reform Commission announced an extra 200 million yuan (about 28 million USD) specifically for relief efforts in Beijing.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as more rainfall is expected in the coming days.
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