Beijing, on maximum alert due to torrential rains. The inhabitants were asked not to get out of the house
Aerial view of houses destroyed by torrential rains and floods in Fengjiayu, on August 3, 2025, in Beijing, China. Photo source: Mago / Imago Stock & People / Profimedia
Beijing on Monday instituted maximum alert state in several districts due to heavy rainfall and warned inhabitants not to leave houses for no reason, after dozens of people recently died in the most serious floods that hit the capital of China after 2012, reports Reuters.
By the end of last month, at least 44 people died in Beijing after days of torrential rains. Most of the victims were people surprised by the rapid increase in water level in an asylum in the Miyun district, located on the northeastern periphery of the city, notes News.ro. The deaths determined the authorities to recognize the deficiencies of emergency plans for extreme weather situations.
On Monday, six of the 16 districts of Beijing were in maximum alert due to torrential rains – Mentougou, Fangshan, Fengtai, Shijingshan, Huairou and Changping.
The risk of fast floods and landslides is “extremely high”, the local authorities warned.
In the summer of 2012, 79 people died in Beijing in the most serious floods in the history of the city. The Fangshan district was the most severely affected, a resident reporting an increase in water level by 1.3 meters in just 10 minutes.
Beijing's topography was described by some as a “trap” for rain, the mountains in the west and north capturing wet air and thus amplifying the precipitation.
In the province of Guangdong, in the south of the country, five people were recovered on the weekend, following a large -scale search operation attended by over 1,300 rescuers.
The five people, who disappeared on Friday night, were “swept by water” following the torrential rains of the last days.
