Heavy Rains kill Four in China; Flood Warnings Issued Across 11 Province

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1107 EAT on Monday 28 July 2025

Unusually heavy rainfall in northern China’s Hebei province has caused a deadly landslide, killing four people and leaving eight others missing, according to state media. Flood warnings have been issued for Beijing and at least 11 other provinces as authorities brace for further impacts.

The landslide struck a village near Chengde city, with state broadcaster CCTV attributing the disaster to the intense rainfall.

Authorities have relocated more than 4,400 people as relentless rain continues to batter Miyun, a suburban district of Beijing, triggering flash floods and landslides that have impacted numerous villages, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Images shared on China’s WeChat app show cars and trucks floating on flooded roads in Miyun, with residential buildings partially submerged. Additionally, power outages have affected over 10,000 residents in the area, according to CCTV.

Northern China has experienced record levels of precipitation in recent years, putting densely populated cities, including Beijing, at heightened risk of flooding. Some scientists attribute the increased rainfall in China’s typically arid northern regions to the effects of global warming.

The Central Meteorological Observatory has warned that heavy rains will continue to batter northern China over the next three days. In response, the Water Resources Ministry has issued targeted flood warnings across 11 provinces and regions.

On Monday, Beijing raised its flood alert to the highest level, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Meanwhile, the national emergency management department dispatched a team to assess the “severe” flooding in Hebei province, which surrounds the capital.

In Shanxi province, state media videos showed roads flooded with water and vegetation—including crops and trees—submerged beneath the surface. The province, which includes China’s historic city of Xi’an, also issued flash flood disaster risk warnings on Monday.

The storms are part of a broader pattern of extreme weather driven by the East Asian monsoon, causing widespread disruptions across China’s economy, the world’s second largest.

China’s National Development and Reform Commission announced on Monday that it is urgently allocating 50 million yuan ($7 million) to support recovery efforts in Hebei province, Xinhua reported. The funds will be used to repair damaged roads, bridges, water conservancy embankments, schools, and hospitals in the affected areas.

Natural disasters are common across China, especially during the summer months, when some regions face heavy rainfall while others endure intense heatwaves.

Earlier this month, flash floods in eastern China’s Shandong province killed two people and left 10 missing. Additionally, a landslide on a highway in Sichuan province swept several cars down a mountainside, resulting in five fatalities.

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