Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region hit by heavy rainfall, causing damage to Fengtai-Shacheng Railway
August 3, Beijing – The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has experienced continuous heavy rainfall in the past few days, resulting in serious water damage to the Fengtai-Shacheng Railway (Fengsha Line) in Beijing. On July 30, trains K396, K1178, and Z180 were urgently stopped due to the rainfall.
The passengers and train crew members on these trains faced numerous challenges, including obtaining food and ensuring their safety during the evacuation.
Trapped for 24 hours: A united effort to overcome food shortages
Train K396, traveling from Wuhai West to Beijing Fengtai Station, was stranded at Luopoling Station at approximately 12:50 on July 30. As the night progressed, the train ran out of cooking materials, and the remaining food supplies were quickly distributed among the passengers. To ensure everyone had something to eat, the train conductor Yang Long decided to boil rice into porridge and serve it in thermos pots and barrels. Flight attendants also shared the fruits, milk, and biscuits they had brought with them.
On the morning of July 31, with heavy rain still pouring, passengers became anxious and crowded the dining car. Yang Long and other flight attendants calmed the passengers and continued distributing food. Zhao Yang, an attendant on duty, emotionally reassured everyone that the food would be distributed for free, emphasizing the importance of treating each other with respect and compassion.
At Luopoling Station, the staff purchased a second batch of instant noodles, ham sausages, and other supplies from nearby villages to alleviate the food shortage.
Train K1178, traveling from Yinchuan to Beijing Fengtai Station, was also halted near Yanhecheng Station on July 30. One day later, the train ran out of food supplies. The station staff delivered the remaining two bags of flour to the train, and the train crew made dough pieces to distribute among the passengers.
Train Z180, bound for Beijing West Railway Station from Urumqi, was urgently stopped near Anjiazhuang Station. The drivers, Li Tiemin and Zhao Donglei, identified the danger of flash floods in time and moved the train more than 200 meters to a safer location. The staff of Anjiazhuang Station purchased instant noodles, eight-treasure porridge, ham sausages, bread, and other supplies from surrounding areas to meet the dining needs of the stranded passengers.
48 hours of survival: Weathering the storm and ensuring safe transfers
The heavy rain continued, and the railway department had to ensure the safety of the stranded passengers. At Yanhecheng Station, where train K1178 was stopped, the high terrain and good geological conditions provided a safe resting place for the passengers.
During the period of being trapped, train K1178 formed a temporary party branch consisting of train employees and passengers. They recruited volunteers from each compartment to assist with distributing supplies and comforting the passengers. Essential medication, such as antihypertensive and anti-inflammatory drugs, were centralized for the passengers’ use.
At Luopoling Station, the station master Ma Ruixin stayed in constant communication with the outside world, updating them on the train and passengers’ situation. The deputy station master, Cai Mingxiang, and four other station employees braved blisters on their feet as they bought supplies, guided helicopter airdrops, and inspected the water level of Luopoling Reservoir.
Due to interrupted regional signals and repeatedly washed roadbeds, the railway department decided to transfer the passengers of train K396 to nearby villages for their safety. Passengers, including over 40 children, cooperated with this decision. In one instance, seven veterans in a carriage took turns carrying a disabled male passenger to a resident’s home despite the rain.
At Anjiazhuang Station, efforts were made to ensure uninterrupted power supply. Station staff used maritime satellite phones every half an hour to report the situation to Beijing West Railway Depot.
Passengers on train Z180 were also transferred to temporary resettlement sites and residents’ homes in Anjiazhuang Village for their safety. Despite limited bedding, the railway staff went above and beyond to retrieve blankets from the train, ensuring the passengers’ comfort.
Evacuate safely: Return home with assistance
On the morning of August 2, the rain subsided, and Beijing lifted its red flood warning. At 5:30, the first batch of passengers from train K396 arrived at Xiehejian Station, where they were organized to return to Beijing Fengtai Station via a temporary train.
The Management Committee of Beijing’s key station districts and the railway department had pre-planned special green passages for the arriving passengers, arranging for their pick-up and subsequent evacuation through subways, taxis, and other means of transportation.
The last batch of passengers from train Z180, assisted by railway staff and armed police soldiers, walked 5 kilometers to the boarding point and were transferred by train to Beijing Fengtai Station. Five key passengers were transported on stretchers with the help of armed police soldiers. With the safe transfer of passengers from train Z180, all passengers stranded on the Fengsha Line have now been evacuated.
This heavy rainfall may have brought upon a natural disaster, but it has also revealed the incredible warmth and unity displayed by railway staff, armed police soldiers, and the passengers themselves.