At least four people have died and eight are missing after heavy rains caused floods and landslides in northern China. Torrential downpours hit Beijing and nearby Hebei province, where entire villages were affected. Authorities have evacuated over 4,400 people to safer areas. China’s weather agency warned that the situation may worsen in coming days.
In the Miyun district of suburban Beijing, sudden flooding and landslides damaged dozens of villages. National broadcaster CCTV confirmed the destruction and large-scale evacuations. On Chinese social media, viral images showed flooded roads, floating vehicles, and submerged buildings. Power outages affected more than 10,000 people in the area.
Experts say northern China has experienced record-breaking rainfall in recent years. The flooding risk in cities like Beijing has grown sharply. Some meteorologists blame climate change for the rising frequency of extreme weather events. The ongoing storm system is part of the East Asian monsoon, which has battered large parts of China this summer.
China’s central weather bureau forecasts continued heavy rain over the next three days. The capital city issued its highest-level flood alert on Monday. In Shixiangzi village near the Miyun Dam, 100 residents took shelter in a local school. Authorities recorded a water flow of 6,550 cubic meters per second at the dam site.
Floodwaters also struck the neighboring province of Shanxi, where viral videos showed submerged streets and fields. In Xi’an, a historic city in Shanxi, officials warned of sudden flash floods. In Beijing’s Pinggu district, two high-risk roads were closed. Rescue operations are ongoing in several areas, including Datong, where a car driver went missing in floodwaters. China’s water ministry has warned 11 provinces of possible floods in small and mid-sized rivers.