Massive Flooding Displaces 10,000 Across China As Beijing Temporarily Escapes Scorching Heat

(CTN NEWS) – Thousands of individuals in China have been forced to leave their homes due to severe flooding, while the capital city ‘Beijing’ experienced temporary relief from scorching temperatures.

On Monday, the National Climate Center announced that Beijing had witnessed an uninterrupted stretch of 9.8 days with temperatures surpassing 35°C (95°F).

Beijing’s Unprecedented Heatwave: Temperature Records Broken

This occurrence was last documented in 1961, a time when air conditioning and fans were not commonplace among the majority of Beijing’s residents.

The heat is potentially exacerbated by a lack of rainfall, as the usually arid capital has received even less precipitation than usual this year.

Following a moderation in temperatures, with Monday’s midday temperature recorded at 33°C (91°F), authorities have cautioned that they are expected to rise again in the upcoming week, reaching as high as 39.6°C (103°F) in Beijing and other parts of China.

Simultaneously, the Xiang’xi Emergency Management Bureau reported that over 10,000 individuals were urgently relocated to ensure their safety due to flooding in the central province of Hunan on Sunday.

The flooding resulted in the collapse of approximately 70 houses, damage to 2,283 structures, and the flooding of agricultural fields. Preliminary estimations indicate losses of at least 575 million yuan ($79 million).

In Zhenba county, located in Shaanxi province to the north, authorities have reported the most severe flooding in 50 years, which caused road washouts and home damage.

 

No Reported Fatalities from Current Flooding

Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported as a result of the floods thus far.

This year’s heat has been atypical, although China regularly experiences summer flooding.

Approximately eleven provinces, covering about half of China’s land area, are anticipated to receive heavy rainfall in the coming days, particularly in the humid southern regions.

In 2021, over 300 individuals lost their lives in the central province of Henan

On July 20 of that year, record-breaking rainfall inundated the provincial capital of Zhengzhou, transforming streets into raging rivers and flooding parts of the subway system.

China’s most devastating floods in recent history occurred in 1998, claiming the lives of 4,150 people, predominantly along the Yangtze River.

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