Credited from: SCMP
Severe flooding across northern China has claimed at least 60 lives, with significant casualties reported in Beijing's Miyun District, where more than 30 residents lost their lives at an elderly care home. Torrential rains have caused widespread devastation, forcing the evacuation of over 80,000 people as local infrastructure struggles under the impact of historic rainfall, leading to conditions described as the deadliest flooding to hit the area in years, according to Dawn and Reuters.
Reports indicate that a total of 44 deaths occurred in Beijing, with additional fatalities in the nearby province of Hebei. In Miyun, the elder care facility was particularly hit hard, where 31 staff and residents drowned as they were trapped by rapidly rising waters, a situation exacerbated by inadequate emergency planning, according to BBC and South China Morning Post.
Chinese officials noted a record rainfall of approximately 573.5 mm (about 22.6 inches) in the Miyun district, a figure alarmingly close to the area's average annual rainfall of 600mm. The persistent weather has raised serious concerns regarding the potential link between climate change and the increasing frequency of such extreme weather patterns in recent years, as reported by Reuters and Anadolu Agency.
Emergency response teams are actively working on site, facing significant challenges due to impassable roads and ongoing rain, which has led to additional losses, particularly in Hebei, where more casualties were reported due to mudslides and additional flooding incidents. Rescue operations are currently underway, as many individuals remain unaccounted for, according to Al Jazeera and Anadolu Agency.