Beijing: A deadly landslide triggered by torrential rainfall has claimed the lives of four people and left eight others missing in northern China’s Hebei province.
The incident occurred in a village near Chengde city, where heavy rainfall over the past days has led to severe ground instability and flash floods. In neighbouring Beijing, authorities relocated more than 4,400 residents from the suburban Miyun district as relentless downpours battered the region.
State media reported widespread flooding and landslides affecting multiple villages. Power outages have impacted over 10,000 residents in the district, further compounding the crisis.
The Central Meteorological Observatory forecast continued heavy rain across northern China over the next three days. The Ministry of Water Resources has issued flood warnings across 11 provinces and regions, including Beijing, which raised its highest-level flood alert.
Emergency teams from China’s national disaster response units have been dispatched to Hebei to assess the damage and coordinate relief efforts. The National Development and Reform Commission has announced an immediate allocation of approximately $7 million (50 million yuan) to support restoration work in the province, including repairs to roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals.
Magda Ehlers@pexels | Cropped by BH
Meanwhile, neighbouring Shanxi province issued flash flood warnings, indicating inundated roads and submerged farmlands. The extreme weather is attributed to the East Asian monsoon, which has brought record rainfall to normally arid northern regions.
The country has seen a string of recent natural disasters tied to climate extremes. Earlier this month, flash floods in Shandong province killed two and left 10 missing, while a landslide in Sichuan swept vehicles off a highway, claiming five lives.
Scientists have increasingly linked such events to the effects of global warming, warning that densely populated cities like Beijing remain highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters.
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