Recent Extreme Heavy Rains Hit Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Tianjin and Other Areas. Damage in Rural Areas is Severe Due to Selective Flood Discharge and Inadequate Notifications.
According to mainland Chinese media reports, continuous heavy rainfall has led to more than ten rivers in the Hai River basin exceeding their warning water levels. A total of 107 large and medium-sized reservoirs in the basin are involved in flood discharge operations, affecting Beijing, Hebei, and Tianjin. This is the largest scale of operation since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, causing further deteriorating conditions in some downstream areas.
In order to protect major cities like Beijing and Tianjin, villages in Hebei become the focus of flood discharge every year. Vast tracks of fertile land are submerged, breeding farms destroyed, and villagers’ houses washed away. Losses are devastating, making life even more difficult for the villagers.
On July 26, Chengde City was hit by heavy rain. The Stone Gate Village in Fengyingzi Town, located on the banks of the Luan River in the city, suffered the impact of flood discharge from the upper reaches.
A villager, Li Yan (pseudonym), revealed to reporters that their greenhouses and breeding farms were completely destroyed by the floodwaters. Livestock died, and farm produce was washed away. Villagers received no prior evacuation notice.
Li Yan expressed her anger, questioning why there were no notifications to the residents on the day of the flood discharge. She criticized the lack of government response and assistance, feeling the authorities neglected the affected villages.
In Qinggou Tun Village, Shacheng Town, Huailai County, Zhangjiakou City, Fang Ming (pseudonym) has been operating a 5000-acre shrimp pond since last year. Engaging in shrimp farming, he faced losses of nearly 30 million yuan due to a sudden water disaster on July 25.-
Fang Ming and more than thirty employees evacuated to a safe area, but the shrimp pond could not be salvaged, and no advance evacuation notice was received.
Fang Ming disclosed that the downstream Guanting Reservoir had a very small flood discharge volume due to fears of flooding Beijing. This reservoir is a water source for Beijing’s drinking water supply.
Zhao Yong, a villager from Shanshen Temple Village, Shangshidong Township, Xinglong County, shared his experience of the flood disaster on July 30. He returned home after four days of isolation, facing severe devastation with no rescuers in sight.
Zhao Yong vividly described the chaos and destruction caused by the flood, criticizing the lack of evacuation notifications and government response in the face of the disaster.
As villagers struggle to rebuild their lives and homes ravaged by the flood, the road to recovery appears long and uncertain, leaving many in a state of despair and frustration.
The tragic stories from these affected areas highlight the urgency for the authorities to improve disaster response measures and prioritize the safety and well-being of all residents, especially in rural regions often overlooked in times of crisis.