Record rainfall in Beijing causes severe flooding

By Andy Wong and Huizhong Wu | Associated Press

ZHUOZHOU, Hebei — China’s capital has experienced its most intense rainfall in at least 140 years over the past few days as remnants of Typhoon Doksuri inundated the region, transforming streets into canals where rescue teams used rubber boats to save stranded residents.

The Beijing Meteorological Bureau announced on Wednesday that the city received 744.8 millimeters (29.3 inches) of rain between Saturday and Wednesday morning.

Record-breaking rainfall in Beijing and the surrounding province of Hebei resulted in severe flooding, with water levels reaching dangerous heights. The rain washed away roads and caused power outages, damaging water pipes as well. It caused rivers around the capital to overflow, submerging cars and lifting vehicles onto pedestrian bridges.

The death toll from the heavy rains in and around Beijing has risen to 21 as of Wednesday, following the recovery of a rescuer’s body. Wang Hong-chun, 41, was with a team of rescuers in a rubber boat when it capsized in a fast-flowing river. Four of her teammates survived.

At least 26 people are still missing as a result of the downpour.

One of the worst affected areas is Zhuozhou, a small city in Hebei province that borders southwest Beijing. On Tuesday night, local police made a social media appeal for lights to assist in rescue operations.

Rescue teams navigated the flooded city in rubber boats as they evacuated residents who had been without running water, gas, or electricity since Tuesday afternoon.

“I didn’t expect it to be this severe, I thought it was just a little bit of water that would recede,” said 54-year-old Wang Huiying. She ended up spending the night on the third floor of her building as water seeped into her steamed bread shop on the first floor, causing all the equipment to be submerged.

The number of people trapped in flooded areas in the city and surrounding villages remains unknown. Rescue teams from other provinces have been brought in to assist with evacuations in Zhuozhou.

“We have to make every second and every minute count to save people,” said Zhong Hongjun, the leader of a rescue team from coastal Jiangsu province. Zhong said they had been working since 2 a.m. on Wednesday when they arrived and expected to work through the night. So far, they have rescued approximately 200 people. “Many of the people we saved are elderly or children,” he added.

On Wednesday, the water level in Gu’an county in Hebei, which shares a border with Zhuozhou, rose as high as halfway up a pole where a surveillance camera was installed.

Gu’an county resident Liu Jiwen, 58, was evacuated from his village on Tuesday night. “There’s nothing we can do. It’s a natural disaster,” he said.

Two other individuals were attempting to navigate the flooded areas to rescue a relative trapped in a nearby village.

Nearly 850,000 people have been relocated, according to local authorities in Hebei province.

According to the Beijing Meteorological Bureau, the previous record for rainfall in the city was in 1891, when 609 millimeters (24 inches) were recorded. The earliest precise measurements made by machines date back to 1883.

Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, described the recent rainfall as “extreme.” Last year, Beijing experienced less than 500 millimeters (19.6 inches) of rainfall.

Ma suggested that city planning should be reviewed as some areas are repeatedly affected by flooding. “We need to avoid constructing large-scale infrastructure in low-lying areas,” he said.

The record rainfall from Typhoon Doksuri, now downgraded to a tropical storm, may not be the last. Typhoon Khanun, which struck Japan on Wednesday, is expected to head towards China later this week. The powerful storm, with winds of up to 180 kph (111 mph), may also impact Taiwan before reaching China.