33 people have died as a result of Beijing’s record rains, while 18 remain missing, authorities revealed on Wednesday.
Recent weeks have seen unprecedented rains in the Chinese capital, which has destroyed cities, farms, and infrastructure.
On Wednesday (9 August), authorities reported that 33 people had died as a result of the floods in Beijing, nearly triple the number they had previously disclosed.
“I would like to express my deep condolences to those who died in the line of duty and the unfortunate victims,” Xia Linmao, Beijing’s vice-mayor, made statement during a press conference.
Hebei province, which borders Beijing, confirmed 15 dead, with 22 people still missing. On the other hand, 14 people were killed and one person was reported missing in northeastern Jilin on Sunday. In Heilongjiang, official media claimed that water levels in numerous of rivers have risen over “warning markers” in recent days.
“I still feel scared when I recall the recent flooding,” Zheng Xiaokang, police officer, Jiangxi village, spoke to Xinhua News Agency.
“In the face of the persistent downpour and rising river water, the consequences would have been devastating had we not managed to timely evacuate the villagers,” Zheng added.
On Wednesday, seven people were killed in flash floods in southern China. According to accounts, the individuals who killed were tourists visiting a popular place who were snapping photographs when the torrent struck.
According to China’s Ministry of Emergency Management, floods or geological catastrophes were responsible for 142 of the fatalities or disappearances registered in July. Other natural calamities, such as drought, were responsible for the remaining five fatalities or disappearances.
