Home / Disasters and Accidents / Deadly Floods Claim Over 60 Lives in Beijing and Surrounding Regions
Deadly Floods Claim Over 60 Lives in Beijing and Surrounding Regions
31 Jul
Summary
- Over 60 deaths, including 31 elderly care center residents
- Massive rescue efforts underway to repair infrastructure and strengthen flood defenses
- Vulnerable groups like the elderly, children, and disabled hit hardest
As of August 1st, 2025, devastating floods in Beijing and its surrounding areas have claimed the lives of over 60 people, including 31 residents of an elderly care center in the capital's Miyun district. The floods have also left more than 30 people missing, according to local authorities.
Intensive relief efforts are currently underway in the affected districts of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei province. The focus is on repairing damaged infrastructure, strengthening flood defenses, and enhancing disaster preparedness to prevent future tragedies. Officials have acknowledged gaps in their preparedness and vowed to learn from this experience to better protect vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, children, and individuals with disabilities.
The floods were triggered by the Qingshui River, which saw a surge in water levels reaching a maximum flow rate of 2,800 cubic meters per second, 1,500 times the usual flow. This resulted in flash floods that trapped residents and attendants at the elderly care center, with rescue teams unable to access the facility until late Monday morning. Sadly, multiple fatalities were later confirmed at the center.
While over 16,000 people from 205 high-risk villages were promptly evacuated, the area where the elderly care center was located was considered safe and not included in the evacuation plan, leading to the devastating loss of life. Authorities have expressed deep sorrow and a strong sense of responsibility, vowing to improve disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief efforts to better protect the people.
