Rain curses Beijing, gaps in readiness spark dozens dead
Beijing Faces Record Flood Crisis
Unprecedented Rainstorm rips Capital
Heavy rainfall from July 23 to 29 triggered catastrophic floods across Beijing, forcing mass evacuations and claiming 44 lives. Sixty thousand residents in the metropolitan area were displaced, while nine missing persons remain unaccounted for.
Deadly Toll Spikes in Rural Suburbs
- Rural outskirts endured the heaviest damage, with floodwaters inundating villages and swamping farmlands.
- The mortality count rose sharply from the earlier estimate of 30 on July 31.
- Taishitun town saw 31 deaths at an elderly care center, a single site that suffered severe structural failure.
Leadership Addresses the Tragedy
Senior official Xia Linmao closed the conference with a solemn tribute:
“I mourn deeply for those lost in this disaster and offer sincere condolences to their relatives.”
“We must learn profound lessons and strengthen our disaster preparedness.”
Systemic Shortcomings Revealed
Xia acknowledged gaps in Beijing’s forecasting and mitigation capacity:
“Extreme weather prediction is inadequate, and infrastructure in mountainous zones needs improvement.”
District chief Yu Weiguo admitted hesitations in readiness:
“We lacked crucial knowledge about extreme weather.”
“The tragedy highlights that safeguarding human life is more than a slogan.”
China’s Climate Context
- Natural disasters recur nationwide, especially during summer when some locales experience torrential rain while others endure scorching heat.
- China remains the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accelerating extreme weather patterns.
- Yet it also powers a global renewable energy surge, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2060.
