At least 30 people have died in Beijing following days of relentless rainfall and devastating floods that continue to wreak havoc across northern China.
Authorities have evacuated more than 80,000 residents from flood-prone areas in the capital, as forecasters warn that the deluge will persist through midday Tuesday.
President Xi Jinping has ordered an “all-out” search and rescue operation, urging local officials to prepare for “worst-case and extreme scenarios.”
“Every effort must be made to locate and rescue those missing or trapped, and to transfer and resettle affected residents,” Xi said in a statement Monday.
The storm has triggered Beijing’s highest-level flood emergency alert. Power outages have plunged 130 villages into darkness, while dozens of roads have been submerged or destroyed, according to state media.
In Miyun, a northeastern district of Beijing, floodwaters swept away vehicles as panicked residents scrambled for safety.
One resident told AFP that he watched helplessly as cars floated past his apartment building.
“In no time at all, the place was filling up,” said Zhuang Zhelin, a shopowner in nearby Taishitun. His neighbor, Wei Zhengming, who operates a traditional Chinese medicine clinic, described running upstairs to wait for rescue.
“I remember thinking, if no one came, we’d be in real trouble.”
The rainfall has also led to deadly landslides. On Monday, four people were confirmed dead and eight more reported missing after a landslide in Chengde City, about three hours’ drive from Beijing. Earlier this month, similar incidents in Ya’an City and Shandong Province killed five and left 10 missing when Typhoon Wipha struck eastern China.
China’s emergency management ministry reported that natural disasters in the first half of 2025 have caused losses of over 54 billion yuan ($7.5 billion), with flooding accounting for more than 90% of the damage.
Over 23 million people have been affected nationwide, and 620,000 had been displaced even before this week’s torrential rains.
The country’s annual flood season is peaking, and meteorologists expect more rainfall in the days ahead.
Southern provinces including Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Anhui are bracing for heavy downpours linked to Typhoon Co-May.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong issued its highest-level “black” rainstorm warning earlier this week for the first time in 2025.
While the warning has since been downgraded, the disruption lingers: schools have been closed, court cases postponed, and major transport stations sealed off due to flooding.
Experts warn that climate change is intensifying extreme weather events in China, with serious implications for the country’s agriculture and infrastructure.
While the north grapples with floods, central and eastern regions are battling heatwaves, with temperatures expected to soar to 40°C in the coming week.
Authorities across the country remain on high alert, activating flood response teams and urging citizens to take precautions against both floods and scorching heat.