Extreme flooding follows days of document rainfall in Beijing

By Andy Wong and Huizhong Wu | Related Press

ZHUOZHOU, Hebei — China’s capital has recorded its heaviest rainfall in a minimum of 140 years over the previous few days as remnants of Storm Doksuri deluged the area, turning streets into canals the place emergency crews used rubber boats to rescue stranded residents.

Town recorded 744.8 millimeters (29.3 inches) of rain between Saturday and Wednesday morning, the Beijing Meteorological Bureau stated Wednesday.

Beijing and the encompassing province of Hebei have been hit by extreme flooding due to the document rainfall, with waters rising to harmful ranges. The rain destroyed roads and knocked out energy and even pipes carrying consuming water. It flooded rivers surrounding the capital, leaving vehicles waterlogged, whereas lifting others onto bridges meant for pedestrians.

The variety of confirmed deaths from the torrential rains round Beijing rose to 21 on Wednesday after the physique of a rescuer was recovered. Wang Hong-chun, 41, was with different rescuers in a rubber boat when it flipped over in a quickly flowing river. 4 of her teammates survived.

At the very least 26 individuals stay lacking from the rains.

Among the many hardest hit areas is Zhuozhou, a small metropolis in Hebei province that borders Beijing’s southwest. On Tuesday evening, police there issued a plea on social media for lights to help with rescue work.

Rescue groups traversed the flooded metropolis in rubber boats as they evacuated residents who have been caught of their properties with out operating water, gasoline or electrical energy since Tuesday afternoon.

“I didn’t suppose it might be that extreme, I believed it was just a bit little bit of water and that it might recede,” stated 54-year-old Wang Huiying. She ended up spending the evening on the third flooring of her constructing because the water seeped into the primary flooring, which holds her steamed bread store. All of the equipment is now underwater.

It’s unknown how many individuals are trapped in flood-stricken areas within the metropolis and surrounding villages. Rescue groups from different provinces got here to Zhuozhou to help with evacuations.

“Now we have to understand each second, each minute to avoid wasting individuals,” stated Zhong Hongjun, the top of a rescue crew from coastal Jiangsu province. Zhong stated he had been working since 2 a.m. Wednesday once they arrived, and expects to work into the evening. They’ve rescued about 200 individuals to date. “A number of the individuals we saved are aged and youngsters,” he stated.

On Wednesday, waters in Gu’an county in Hebei, which borders Zhuozhou, reached as excessive as midway up a pole the place a surveillance digital camera was put in.

Gu’an county resident Liu Jiwen, 58, was evacuated from his village on Tuesday evening. “There’s nothing we are able to do. It’s pure catastrophe,” he stated.

Two different individuals have been making an attempt to move via the flooded areas to rescue a relative trapped in a close-by village.

Almost 850,000 individuals have been relocated, native authorities in Hebei province stated.

The earlier document for rainfall was in 1891, the Beijing Meteorological Bureau stated Wednesday, when the town acquired 609 millimeters (24 inches) of rain. The earliest exact measurements made by machines are from 1883.

Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, referred to as the current rainfall “excessive.” Final yr’s complete rainfall in Beijing didn’t even prime 500 millimeters (19.6 inches).

Ma stated there must be a assessment of how cities are deliberate as a result of some locations expertise repeat flooding. “We have to keep away from constructing large-scale building … in low-lying areas,” Ma stated.

The document rainfall from Doksuri, now downgraded to a tropical storm, is probably not the final. Storm Khanun, which lashed Japan on Wednesday, is anticipated to move towards China later this week. The highly effective storm, with floor winds of as much as 180 kph (111 mph), may hit Taiwan earlier than it reaches China.