Beijing braces for more rain as deadly floods shift over 70,000

Beijing has evacuated over 70,000 inhabitants and places all 16 areas at the highest warning level, as Brace authorities for another round of heavy rainfall, one week after the capital of the most deadly flood in more than a decade.

Between July 23 and 29, torrential rains killed at least 44 people in the city, most of them were trapped in a nursing home in the Miyun area, where flooding collapsed emergency systems. The tragedy prompted officials to recognize deficiencies in emergency planning for extreme weather conditions.

Forecasts warned that up to 200mm of rain could fall in just six hours in some areas, causing extensive closures of outdoor sites, including the Great Wall parts. Authorities also suspend underground businesses and urged residents to remain alert, as the risk of flooding and landslides remains extremely high.

The evacuations included nearly 14,000 people from Mentougou, a mountainous area in the city of the city, according to the CCTV state broadcasting body. This marks the first state of readiness throughout the city since July 28th.

The terrain of Beijing, surrounded by mountains to the west and north, is considered a natural rain trap, often intensifies storms and complicate the drainage. In 2012, the city recorded its worst floods in recent memory, with 79 deaths, mainly in the Fangshan area.

Reading: The torrential rain shifts over 4,400 to Beijing

The tragedy of the wellness camp adds to increasing tolls

Beyond the capital, storms have taken lives elsewhere. In Chengde in Hebei province, three people died and four remain missing after the floods swept through “Beijing Valley”, a Riverside wellness retreat. About 40 people had gathered in the area on July 27 for a well -being, where the organizers had set up scenes on low land near a river.

Until 2am the next morning, the water had reached the knee height, forcing participants to leave the only exit of the camp. The incident was compared to the Mystic camp in Texas, where 28 children were drowned last month, when a river overflows during torrential rains.

Read more: 21 children between 67 dead in the floods of Texas in the midst of a continuous summer camp rescue attempt

In the southern province of Guangdong, five bodies were recovered during the weekend after a large -scale rescue operation involving over 1,300 staff. The victims had disappeared after being wiped during Friday’s thunderstorms, Xinhua said.

At the time of the monsoon summer, he is still active and more prediction of rainfall in the coming days, Chinese authorities are working to boost the defenses of aging floods, improve forecasts and revise evacuation strategies as extreme weather conditions.