Summers in China are often wet, with occasional downpours, but the recent deluge that hit Beijing and its surrounding provinces has been nothing short of catastrophic. As authorities lifted the flood alert on Wednesday morning, the city’s heaviest rainfall in 140 years had left a trail of devastation in its wake. The heavy rain, which dumped almost a million tonnes of water on the city in just three days, had claimed the lives of 21 people and left dozens more missing.
Rescue teams combed the flooded streets in rubber dinghies, searching for anyone trapped behind the waters. Hundreds of flights were delayed or cancelled at the city’s two major airports, while schools and businesses were forced to close due to the hazardous conditions. The storm, brought on by the aftermath of super typhoon Doksuri, had shattered the city’s previous rainfall record, which dated back to 1891.
The Chinese meteorological service reported that 744.8mm of rain had fallen since Saturday morning, almost as much as Beijing normally receives in a whole month. Neighbouring Hebei province was even worse hit, with one local weather station recording 1,003mm of rain – almost twice the annual average.
Beijing RainstormsMa Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, a Beijing-based NGO, attributed the extreme weather to climate change, citing rising ocean temperatures as a major contributor. “China has suffered unprecedented extreme heatwaves since last year,” he said. “These heatwaves are linked to global warming, and this is what most climate scientists around the world tend to agree.”
The storm has also had a significant impact on China’s coastal regions, with typhoon Khanun, the sixth typhoon of the year, expected to make landfall in the country’s eastern province of Zhejiang. In preparation, the province has upgraded its emergency response level and deployed 14,000 rescue workers to bolster relief efforts.
With more extreme weather on the horizon, China’s residents are bracing themselves for another round of chaos. As the country grapples with the aftermath of the latest storm, it is clear that climate change is having a profound impact on its weather patterns, with far-reaching consequences for its people.