Heavy rains kill in China as flood warning issued in 11 states | Climate Crisis News
Authorities have warned of growing environmental and increased disaster risks over the coming days.
The landslide caused by an unusually heavy rain killed four people in reports from Hebei Media in northern China, and eight have issued flood warnings in the capital, Beijing and at least 11 states, reporting national media reports.
The landslide in a village near Chiendae city was “due to heavy rain,” state broadcaster CCTV reported Monday.
Authorities have moved more than 4,400 people as merciless rain continued to slam the outskirts of Beijing’s Miyun suburbs, causing flash floods and landslides, CCTV said.
Images distributed to China’s WeChat app show Miyun’s area where cars and trucks float on flooded roads and residential buildings are submerged. According to CCTV, the electricity cuts have also affected more than 10,000 people in the region.
Northern China has seen record-breaking rainfall in recent years, putting densely populated cities, including Beijing, at risk of flooding. Some scientists have linked China’s increasing dry rainfall, which is usually north, with global warming.
The Central Meteorological Observatory said heavy rain will continue to soak northern North China for the next three days. The Ministry of Water Resources has issued targeted flood warnings in 11 states and regions.
Beijing issued the highest level of flood alerts on Monday, the official Xinhua conference said. The National Emergency Management Department said it had dispatched a team to inspect “severe” floods in Hebei surrounding Beijing.
In Shanghai, a video from state media showed roads filled with water and submerged vegetation, including crops and trees. The state, home to China’s historic city of Xian, also issued a flash flood disaster risk warning on Monday.
The storm is part of a broader pattern of China’s extreme weather due to the East Asian monsoon, causing the world’s second largest economic disruption.
China’s National Development and Reform Commission said on Monday it was urgently arranging 50 million yuan ($7 million) to support Hebei. The funds will be used to repair damaged roads and bridges in disaster areas, water conservation levees, schools and hospitals.
Natural disasters are common throughout China. Especially in the summer, some areas experience heavy rain, while others burn with heat waves.
Flash floods in Shandong Province, eastern China, killed two people, losing 10 of them this month. This month, a landslide on a Sichuan highway killed five people after wiping several cars down the mountainside.