Deadly Typhoon “Du Su Rui” Causes Devastating Rainfall and Fatalities in Beijing
Beijing, China – Typhoon “Du Su Rui” has brought about a trail of destruction in Beijing, severely impacting the city with continuous heavy rainfall since July 29. The west, southwest, and south regions have experienced particularly heavy downpours, leading to devastating consequences. The Beijing Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has reported a death toll of 11 individuals as a result of this round of heavy rainfall, with two of them tragically losing their lives during rescue and disaster relief efforts. Additionally, 27 people remain missing, including four individuals who were lost while undertaking emergency rescue operations.
As of 6:00 on August 1, the average rainfall across the city was recorded at 257.9 mm. The urban areas experienced an average rainfall of 235.1 mm, while Mentougou District recorded the highest average rainfall of 470.2 mm. Other severely impacted districts include Fangshan with 414.6 mm, Shijing with 333.2 mm, Changping with 295.8 mm, Fengtai with 285 mm, Daxing with 295.8 mm, Haidian with 279.2 mm, and Haidian with 242.2 mm. The most intense hourly rainfall was observed in Qianling Mountain, Fengtai, where 111.8 mm poured down between 10:00 and 11:00 on July 31. Two stations even saw cumulative rainfall exceeding 700 mm; Mentougou Alpine Rose Garden recorded a staggering 722.4 mm.
Among the victims, four were in Mentougou District, four in Changping District, two in Fangshan District, and one in Haidian District. Tragically, a firefighter from the Haidian Fire Brigade of the Beijing Fire and Rescue Corps lost his life during rescue operations, while a township cadre in Mentougou District was fatally injured during the assessment process. Authorities are currently working to verify the identities of the remaining victims.
Additionally, 27 individuals remain missing, including 13 in Mentougou District, 10 in Changping District, and four in Fangshan District. During rescue and relief operations conducted by the Blue Sky Rescue Team in Baicaowa Village, Fozizhuang Township, four individuals fell into the water and are yet to be located.
The impact of this disaster has left a total of 44,673 individuals in 13 districts affected. The authorities have successfully transferred 127,000 individuals who were at imminent risk within the city.
The aftermath of Typhoon “Du Su Rui” is a stark reminder of the destructive power of nature and the need for preparedness and swift action during potential natural disasters. As Beijing reckons with the devastation caused by this heavy rainfall, rescue and relief efforts continue to search for the missing individuals and provide necessary assistance to those affected.
[Reporters: Wang Junlu, Wu Wenxu, Zhao Xu]
[Editors: Meng Zhu, Gao Xing]