Twenty people have died and 27 are missing following heavy rainfall in Beijing, according to state media. Typhoon Doksuri brought four days of continuous rain and flooding to northern China. For the first time in 25 years, a Beijing flood storage reservoir was utilized as rivers reached dangerous levels. More than 100 mountain roads were closed and over 52,000 residents were evacuated from their homes. The Beijing government reported that the rainfall in the past few days exceeded records set in 2012, when the city was hit by the strongest storm since modern China was founded. Doksuri weakened as it moved inland, however, authorities warned of the continued risk of further floods and other natural disasters.
Over the weekend, Beijing received an average of 260mm (10.2 inches) of rainfall, with one reservoir recording 738.3mm. This level of rainfall is significantly higher than the average for the city’s wettest month, July, which is around 150mm-180mm. In Hebei province, south of Beijing, a weather station recorded 1,003mm of precipitation over three days – almost double the annual average for the county. Videos on social media documented the extensive flooding and the innovative methods used in rescue operations. In one instance, a man used a forklift to save a family and a dog trapped in floodwaters.
As a result of the floods, several subway lines were temporarily suspended, and there was significant damage to roads and bridges across the city. The Mentougou district in the west was particularly affected, as torrential rain turned roads into rivers, sweeping away vehicles and destroying bridges. A military unit of 26 soldiers and four helicopters conducted an “airdrop rescue mission” to provide food and ponchos to stranded individuals near a train station in Mentougou. In Fengtai, another district in Beijing, 15,000 sandbags were used to reinforce road barriers as the Yongding River overflowed and debris submerged busy intersections. The local government and Communist party officials in Mentougou released a joint statement declaring their determination to overcome disaster, despite the destruction caused by the floods.
Meanwhile, in the Hai River basin in Hebei province, where five rivers meet, flood storage and diversion areas were opened to manage the flooding risks. Typhoon Doksuri had already caused significant damage in coastal Fujian province, resulting in an economic toll of ¥14.8bn (£1.6bn) and impacting nearly 2.7 million people. More than 562,000 individuals have been evacuated and over 18,000 houses have been destroyed.
China is now bracing for the arrival of another typhoon, Khanun, the sixth storm of the year. It is expected to hit the country’s east coast in the coming days.
