North China authorities warn heavy rain could spark floods, landslides

Beijing - The authorities in northern China warned that heavy rain could bring floods and landslides on July 24, issuing the country’s second-highest flood response.

China is enduring a summer of extreme weather, with heavy rain across the east and south expected as much of the north has sweltered under successive heatwaves.

And after days of scorching temperatures of over 35 deg C in Beijing, city authorities on July 24 triggered the second-highest flood-prevention response.

Up to 150mm of rain could drench parts of the capital – home to around 22 million people – in a 24-hour period between July 24 and the evening of July 25, said a statement on the city’s official WeChat instant messaging app.

The downpours could “trigger mountain torrents, mudslides, landslips and other secondary disasters”, it said.

City authorities have ordered the temporary closure of some tourist spots as well as mountain and riverside hostels out of safety concerns, the statement said.

Beijing residents received text messages urging them to reduce outdoor activity, stay away from hilly or riverside areas, and take note of places of shelter.

The authorities in neighbouring Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing and is home to more than 70 million people, also warned of flooding, said state news agency Xinhua.

China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters warned there was a “high risk” that the heavy rain would cause natural disasters.

In eastern Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, Typhoon Gaemi was expected to make landfall on July 25.

The authorities issued a red storm alert for the typhoon and Fujian province has suspended all train services for July 25.

Local media, citing officials, reported that coastal areas could see waves of between 4m and 6m.

Gaemi has already prompted officials in Taiwan to close schools and declare a typhoon holiday.

Flash floods in northern and south-west China killed at least 20 people at the weekend.

In May, a highway in southern China collapsed after days of rain, leaving 48 dead.

China is by far the world’s largest emitter of the greenhouse gases that scientists say drive climate change and make extreme weather more frequent and intense.

Long addicted to polluting energy sources like coal, China has pledged to bring emissions of planet-heating carbon dioxide to a peak by 2030, and to net zero by 2060.

It is already the world’s largest producer of renewable energy, with research in July showing that Beijing is building almost twice as much solar and wind power capacity as every other country combined. AFP