Flooding in and around China’s capital city Beijing has killed at least 20 people, after days of heavy rain that caused travel disruptions, flight cancellations, and the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.
In neighboring Hebei province, more than 800,000 people were evacuated, according to local media.
Storm Doksuri, previously a super typhoon, unleashed torrential downpours upon the Chinese capital after battering the Philippines and southern Fujian province, causing severe flooding in the city.
Within 40 hours, between July 29 and Aug 2, Beijing was drenched with the average July rainfall, totaling 744.8 millimeters, marking the “heaviest rainfall in 140 years,” according to the Beijing Meteorological Service.
At least 20 dead and 800,000 evacuated in Hebei
Tragically, the heavy rain in Beijing claimed 11 lives, and 27 were reported missing. The neighboring Hebei province witnessed nine fatalities and six missing persons, prompting the evacuation of over 800,000 people.
Zhuozhou, one of the cities seriously affected by the heavy rain, saw many villages flooded and villagers were trapped.
Adding to the worries, Typhoon Khanun is approaching China’s east coast, further intensifying concerns about climate change-induced extreme weather events.
Massive relief and rescue efforts
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered all-out search and rescue efforts to find missing or trapped people due to floods and begin disaster relief efforts.
China has deployed a large number of rescue forces, including units from the People’s Armed Police, firemen and nongovernmental rescue teams, in the rescue mission. More than 3,000 fire commanders and thousands of service members from the People’s Armed Police are participating in the rescue operations.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has urged improved efforts in flood early warning and monitoring systems as well as the implementation of flood preventive measures to ensure the safety of the people’s lives and properties.
China allocates 100 million yuan for post-disaster reconstruction in Beijing and Hebei
China’s Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management earmarked 110 million yuan ( $15.35 million) from the central natural disaster relief fund to support rescue and relief work in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region recently hit by torrential rain.
The funds will be used to support the reconstruction of infrastructure and public services facilities in regions that have been hit hard by rainstorms and floods, according to the National Development and Reform Commission of China.
China’s tech giants pledge hundreds of millions for flood recovery
China’s big tech firms have announced to donate hundreds of millions of yuan for flood relief efforts in the capital city of Beijing and its neighboring regions.
ByteDance, the Beijing-based owner of TikTok, said that it is donating 100 million yuan (US$13.9 million) for disaster relief in flooded areas, including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei province and Fujian province.
Beijing-based ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing sent several teams of drivers who are also professionally trained as rescuers, to participate in flood relief efforts.
Tencent Holdings has topped up its donation by another 100 million yuan for the flood-hit areas, while e-commerce giant Alibaba said that its charity foundation will donate 30 million yuan.
Smartphone brand Xiaomi said it would donate 25 million yuan, while electric vehicle maker Li Auto pledged 20 million yuan. E-commerce giant JD.com said it would donate 30 million yuan worth of materials to the flood-hit areas.
G20 climate negotiation controversy
Amidst these extreme weather conditions, China found itself embroiled in controversy over its role in derailing G20 climate negotiations.
The group of major nations failed to release a joint communique or make fresh commitments to tackle emissions and fossil fuel use, with China and Saudi Arabia reportedly stepping back from pledges, sparking concerns about the adequacy of climate change measures.
China’s foreign ministry rejected allegations of impeding climate discussions during the G20 meetings in India and attributed the inability to reach an agreement to “geopolitical issues” raised by other countries “for no reason.” It repeatedly emphasized that its historical and per capita CO2 emissions remain lower than the United States.
Scientists have attributed the increasing severity of global weather, including record-breaking summer temperatures, to the ongoing climate crisis.
Typhoon Khanun approaches Japan
Meanwhile, Typhoon Khanun hit Japan’s southwestern Okinawa islands on Aug. 2 with winds at 220 km/h (137 mph), which is at par with a Category 4 Atlantic hurricane. Within the last 24 hours, numerous locations in Okinawa received heavy rainfall, with amounts ranging from 175 to 220 millimeters (6 to 8 inches), as reported by CNN Weather.
The severity of the typhoon prompted the prefecture government to issue evacuation orders for over 600,000 residents in the affected areas. The powerful winds caused significant damage to power lines, leaving more than 200,000 households without electricity on Wednesday morning, as stated by the Okinawa Electric Power Company.