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CatastropheChina

China hit by more floods after Typhoon Doksuri

August 5, 2023

Mass evacuations took place in the cities of Shulan and Harbin, with more deaths reported. Residents of Beijing were told to watch out for sinkholes and mudslides.

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A resident take a ride on a scooter past a flood hit town on the outskirts of the capital, Beijing
The aftermath of Typhoon Doksuri has devastated areas around the capital Bejiing and parts of northern ChinaImage: Ng Han Guan/AP Photo/picture alliance

Torrential rains triggered more flooding and mass evacuations in China's northeast on Saturday in the wake of Typhoon Doksuri.

What's the latest on the flooding?

In Jilin province, almost 15,000 people were evacuated from the city of Shulan, which has a total population of over 700,000 residents. Shulan has witnessed continuous rain since the beginning of the month.

A truck on its side amid flooded roads in Shulan
Shulan has witnessed five straight days of rain, leading to submerged streets and fieldsImage: Yan Linyun/Xinhua/AP/picture alliance

Chinese state media reported that one person was dead and five others were missing amid the downpour in Shulan. The waters drenched streets around houses and other buildings in the metropolis, according to China News Service. 

Thousands have also been moved out in Heilongjiang province as rains cover streets and farms. Officials in Heilongjiang say 25 rivers across the province are at risk of bursting their banks. 

Overflowing rivers damaged crops in Heilongjiang. Over 53,000 people were evacuated in provincial capital Harbin due to at risk reservoirs and rivers. 

Beijing still under red alert 

In the capital Beijing, city officials called on citizens in the outer areas of Fanghan and Mentougou to be wary of sinkholes and mudslides.

"Geological risks" such as landslides have led to officials keeping the city's red alert in place, as clean-up operations are carried out.

So far, at least 22 people have died in Beijing and the surrounding Hebei province this week amid the heavy rains. State media reported Saturday that waters have started to recede in the hard-hit Hebei city of Zhuozhou.   

Flooding in northern China's Hebei province
Hebei province is one of the most impacted regions of China by the heavy rains in recent daysImage: David Zhang/AP Photo/picture alliance

The death toll in the Hebei city of Baoding, meanwhile, rose to 10 people on Saturday, officials said. Eighteen people in Baoding have been reported missing. 

China this summer has witnessed not only record-breaking rains, but also heatwaves and drought in parts of the country. 

Last month, northwest China experienced its highest-ever temperature of over 52 degrees Celsius (126 Fahrenheit) in the province of Xinjiang, the state-run Xinjiang Daily newspaper reported. The scorching temperature was registered in the province's Turpan Depression, which has a harsh continental desert climate.

wd/dj (Reuters, AP, AFP)