Days of heavy rain have raised flood risks across China, prompting alerts and evacuations in Beijing and several northern regions.
Recent days of heavy rainfall have caused widespread flooding across several regions in China. According to China’s Ministry of Water Resources, on July 28, 31 rivers in Hebei, Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Yunnan, and Xinjiang have seen water levels rise above warning lines. The highest recorded level exceeded the limit by 3.48 meters.
Due to this rainfall, the Luan River in the Haihe River Basin has formed the first numbered flood of 2025. This marks the first major river flood officially classified this year, signalling increasing flood pressure during the main flood season.
Beijing Under Red Alert, Major Parks Closed
In Beijing, rainfall intensified across parts of the city. From 10 a.m. on July 26 to 6 a.m. on July 27, the city’s average rainfall reached 18.4 mm. Downtown areas saw only 0.7 mm, but the rural area of Huangtuliang in Miyun District recorded a peak of 315.3 mm. In response, authorities evacuated 3,065 residents from 1,452 households across 149 villages in Miyun District.
As of noon on July 28, Beijing remains under a red alert for rainstorms. Several popular attractions, including the Summer Palace, Jingshan Park, Beijing Zoo, and Fragrant Hills Park, have been temporarily closed. Tourist sites, homestays, and campsites in Miyun and Fangshan districts have also suspended operations due to safety concerns.
Hebei’s Yi County Also Hit Hard
Earlier, on July 24–25, heavy rain hit Yi County in Hebei Province. Official data shows that average rainfall reached 253.6 mm across the county, with the village of Renyizhuang recording a maximum of 448.7 mm and peak hourly rainfall of 98.1 mm. By the afternoon of July 25, 1,697 residents from 686 households had been safely relocated. No casualties have been reported.
“The corn is gone, the car was swept away—but none of that matters. As long as everyone is safe, it’s okay,” one villager told CNS, standing next to a small river that had already dropped by 2 meters.
The downpour affected 182 villages in Yi County. Local teams are now repairing roads, restoring power and communications, and clearing damaged areas.
To respond to the worsening flood situation, the Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level IV emergency response on July 24. Targeted alerts have been issued daily for individual provinces, helping guide evacuation and rescue work.
If you liked this article, why not read: Southern China Faces Flooding as Rainfall Breaks June Records
