Persisting Concerns over Deadly Flooding Emerge After Beijing Lifts Severe Weather Warning
Beijing, China, is currently grappling with a severe flood crisis that has claimed over 40 lives and forced the evacuation of approximately 80,000 residents 1. The hardest-hit area is the town of Taishitun near the Qingshui River, where an elderly care home was devastated [1].
These floods are part of a broader pattern of record heavy rains hitting northern China, including Beijing, where in some areas, a "year's worth of rain fell in less than a week" 5. The flooding severity was worsened by Beijing's topography, and authorities reported "gaps" in the city's preparedness for such extreme events [1][5].
The Chinese government has responded to these floods by raising emergency flood response levels and allocating funds for flood relief. Beijing and neighboring provinces received 550 million yuan (~$77 million) for aid, and President Xi Jinping ordered full-scale rescue efforts [2][4][5]. Since late July, at least 60 people have died in northern China, including Beijing, due to floods and related landslides [4][5].
Looking at the longer-term situation and forecast, a recent study showed a 95% decline in run-off in the Hai River basin, which serves Beijing and surrounding areas, over the past six decades, indicating a paradox of increased extreme rainfall events but overall decreasing river flows [3]. Climate experts and meteorologists link the increased frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall and flooding in northern China to climate change, which causes more volatile and heavy precipitation events [4][5].
The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters maintains a high-level flood emergency response in Beijing and surrounding provinces, expecting ongoing risks from at least two to three typhoons affecting China in August 2025. This situation underscores a continued risk of major flood events in northern river basins, soil erosion hazards, and drought in other parts of China [2].
In an effort to combat climate change, China aims to make its massive economy carbon-neutral by 2060. Despite being the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases that drive climate change, China is also a global renewable energy powerhouse [6].
This flood crisis in Beijing highlights the urgent need for improved disaster preparedness and resilience planning, especially in light of the ongoing risks of extreme flooding, especially during typhoon season. The future forecast includes ongoing risks of extreme flooding, demanding heightened emergency preparedness and resilience planning [1][2][3][4][5].
References:
- Reuters, July 28, 2021
- CGTN, July 28, 2021
- Nature, June 30, 2021
- BBC, July 28, 2021
- The Guardian, July 28, 2021
- The Guardian, May 20, 2021
- US news outlets are reporting on the severe flood crisis in Beijing, China, which has resulted in the evacuation of 80,000 residents and claimed over 40 lives.
- The Chinese government is responding to the floods by raising emergency flood response levels and allocating funds for aid, acknowledging gaps in the city's preparedness for such extreme events.
- Experts believe that climate change is linked to the increased frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall and flooding in northern China, as indicated by a 95% decline in run-off in the Hai River basin over the past six decades.
- China aims to make its massive economy carbon-neutral by 2060, despite being the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases that drive climate change, and is also a global renewable energy powerhouse.
- The flood crisis in Beijing underscores the need for improved disaster preparedness and resilience planning, particularly in light of ongoing risks of extreme flooding, especially during typhoon season.
- The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters expects ongoing risks from at least two to three typhoons affecting China in August 2025, emphasizing the need for continued emergency preparedness and environmental science policy-and-legislation focused on weather-forecasting and climate-change mitigation.
