Rescue Operations Intensify Amidst Devastating Rainfall and Rising Death Toll

Disaster relief and rescue operations are currently underway in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei province following severe rainfall that has caused widespread damage. Roads have been compromised, power and water supplies disrupted, and mass evacuations have been necessary.

As of Tuesday evening, the death toll in Beijing reached 30, with the majority of fatalities occurring in the mountainous Miyun district. Eight additional deaths were reported in Hebei, where a landslide struck Luanping county. Although the rainstorm alert in Beijing was lifted, the city remains under its highest level of flood-control emergency response.

Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing, under the direction of President Xi Jinping, is overseeing the relief and rescue efforts. He led officials to Miyun, where they met with affected residents and guided flood prevention and disaster relief work. Zhang emphasized the importance of protecting vulnerable groups during this time and minimizing disaster losses.

The maximum rainfall in Beijing was recorded in two Miyun towns, leading to the relocation of nearly 17,000 residents in the district. Along the Chaohe River in Miyun, floodwaters submerged lower tree branches.

Soldiers, including Gao Jianhua of the Armed Police Force Beijing Corps, were deployed to build flood barriers. They worked tirelessly to construct a 1.6-kilometer-long embankment, utilizing a significant number of sandbags. Reinforcement of the barrier is ongoing.

In Tianjin, residents are evacuating villages affected by the heavy rains. One resident described the situation, including the isolation of a training facility where children and adults were trapped. Rescue teams from the People's Liberation Army are assisting in evacuating residents and clearing roads, facing challenges due to severe road damage.

As the weather improved, some residents in Beijing's Miyun district began returning home to assess the damage and start cleaning efforts. One resident, a seafood vendor, is planning to repair his damaged truck to resume his business. He expressed resilience and optimism for the future of the village.