At least 30 people have died in Beijing and more than 80,000 were evacuated to safety, Chinese authorities said, as heavy rains and floods ravage roads and houses in northern China.
Eight other people died after a landslide on Monday in Chengde city, about three hours northeast of Beijing.
China is dealing with a summer of extreme weather. Record heatwaves hit the country’s eastern region earlier this month while floods swept the country’s southwest.
Against the backdrop of the massive floods in northern China, President Xi Jinping has called for “all-out” rescue efforts and told authorities to prepare for “worst-case and extreme scenarios”.
“No effort should be spared to search for and rescue those missing or trapped, to transfer and resettle residents in affected areas, and to reduce casualties to the greatest extent possible,” the president said on Monday.
Chinese authorities have allocated 200 million yuan ($28m; £21m) for recovery efforts, including repairing transportation and other infrastructure.
The outskirts of Beijing, including the suburban districts of Miyun and Huairou, were hit hardest by the torrential rain.
The floods have damaged dozens of roads and disrupted power to more than 130 villages. Videos show rescuers wading in chest-deep floodwaters to reach stranded residents, as well as helicopters and drones ferrying food and other aid to the disaster zone.
Beijing is no stranger to flooding, particularly at this time of year. One of the deadliest in recent memory occurred in July 2012, when 190mm of rain drenched the city in a day, killing 79 people.
This summer, floods have wreaked havoc across swathes of China.
Credit: bbc.com
