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Heavy Rains in Beijing: 44 Dead, Authorities Admit “Shortcomings”
Beijing has been hit by devastating heavy rains that resulted in the deaths of 44 people and left nine missing, local authorities confirmed on Thursday. The city and surrounding northern China regions have faced severe flooding, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate their homes.
Xia Linmao, a senior municipal official, reported at a press conference that between July 23 and 29, Beijing experienced extreme rainfall causing significant human losses. Among the casualties, 31 were recorded in a nursing home facility. Earlier reports had cited 30 fatalities, mainly in semi-rural areas about 100 kilometers from downtown Beijing.
Expressing deep sorrow, Xia offered condolences to the families affected and acknowledged critical gaps in disaster preparedness. “Our capacity to forecast and alert for extreme weather conditions is insufficient, and disaster prevention and mitigation plans have not been fully developed,” he said, promising to draw “profound lessons” from this tragedy.
Yu Weiguo, Communist Party official in Miyun district, one of the hardest-hit areas, echoed this sentiment. He admitted the emergency plans had “flaws” and that understanding of extreme weather phenomena was “insufficient.” He emphasized the need to put “people first” and translate words into effective actions.
Natural disasters such as floods are common in China during summer months. Scientists link increasing extreme weather events to climate change, accelerated by China’s status as the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter. However, China also positions itself as a global leader in renewable energy, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2060.