Muriwai slip leaves community reliving devastating landslides
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RNZ News
11 hours ago
- RNZ News
Beijing expands storm alert as fatal floods keep city on edge
By Ryan Woo and Joe Cash for Reuters At least 44 people died in Beijing after heavy rains last week. Photo: AFP / PEDRO PARDO Beijing residents have been warned to brace for a new round of heavy rainfall, telling them to avoid going out, a week after catastrophic floods killed dozens in the deadliest deluge to hit the Chinese capital since 2012. Up to 200mm of rain could hit parts of Beijing over a six-hour period from midday, weather forecasters warned. The city of 22 million people receives on average 600mm of rainfall each year. The warning comes as authorities rush to reinforce ageing flood defences, fine-tune weather forecasts and update evacuation plans amid reports of bodies being pulled from raging flood waters across the country, including at least three at a flooded wellness camp in Hebei province. At least 44 people died in Beijing after heavy rains from 23 to 29 July . Most of the dead were people unexpectedly trapped by rapidly rising waters at a nursing home in Miyun district on the city's northeastern outskirts. The fatalities led authorities to admit to shortcomings in their contingency plans for extreme weather. By noon on Monday, Beijing had placed all of its 16 districts on the highest level of preparedness, in the first citywide state of readiness since 28 July, shutting parts of the Great Wall and other outdoor leisure venues and halting operations of below-ground businesses. The risk of flash floods and landslides is "extremely high", authorities said. In the summer of 2012, 79 people died in Beijing in the city's deadliest flooding in living memory. Fangshan district was the worst-hit, with one resident reporting a rise in floodwaters of 1.3 metres in just 10 minutes. Beijing's topography has been described by some as a rain "trap", with its mountains to the west and north capturing moist air and amplifying any ensuing rainfall as a result. As of Saturday, torrential rains that swept through "Beijing Valley", a riverside wellness retreat in the Hebei city of Chengde adjacent to Beijing, had claimed three lives, with four still missing, China's state news agency Xinhua reported. About 40 people had gathered on 27 July for an event at the site, where organisers directed them into tents pitched on low-lying land next to a river bend, Caixin Media reported. By 2am the next morning, floodwaters had risen to knee height, forcing attendees to scramble towards the camp's only exit. The site bore similarities to Camp Mystic in Texas, where at least 28 children were swept to their deaths last month by floodwaters after the Guadalupe River burst its banks amid torrential rain. In China's southern Guangdong province over the weekend, the bodies of five people were recovered after a large-scale search operation involving more than 1300 rescuers. The five people, who went missing on Friday night, were "swept away by water" following heavy rainfall in recent days, Xinhua reported on Sunday. - Reuters
RNZ News
18 hours ago
- RNZ News
More Kiwi firefighters to help battle Canadian blazes
Fire and Emergency said it had received a formal request for assistance from its Canadian counterpart. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone New Zealand is again sending more fire fighters to Canada to help battle raging wildfires, which have burned through 6 million hectares of land. Tens of thousands have had to evacuate from fires across the country since they began breaking out in May . Fire and Emergency (FENZ) said it had received a formal request for assistance from its Canadian counterpart and would send four more firefighters to join the 50 already there . It first sent a small, specialist crew at the start of July, and followed it up a week later with a larger group of volunteer firefighters . The existing deployments were in Manitoba province, while the new group - which included three taskforce leaders and a helicopter co-ordinator - would go to Alberta, FENZ said. In a statement, Deputy National Commander Steph Rotarangi said the winter conditions meant New Zealand was well-placed to provide international support. "It's an opportunity for our specialists to learn from the experience and utilise their skills in challenging conditions," she said. "It's a long, hard slog for their crews, so our team heading over will help provide relief and respite for the teams that have been battling these fires for a long time." Across Canada in early August 2025, there were 747 active fires, including 64 in Alberta. Photo: AFP The new deployment would link up with Australians as part of a larger group. "I wish to thank them for answering the call and spending a significant period of time away from their loved ones who will be holding the fort at home," Rotarangi said. "I would also like to thank the team already in Canada, who have been working incredibly hard and achieving great results over the past three weeks." Across Canada, there were 747 active fires, including 64 in Alberta. Climate change has been contributing to a longer, hotter and more severe wildfire season in the country . Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Temperatures plunge to -7C in frosty start for South Island
Aoraki/Mt Cook seen from across Lake Pukaki. Photo: Susan Rebergen A "severe frost" for Canterbury and Otago has seen a chilly start to the week for parts of the South Island. Metservice said the coldest temperatures were in the Canterbury High Country and inland Canterbury. A chilly morning for the South Island and inland parts of the North Island today ❄ For your local forecast: For more information on what causes a cold night: Forecaster Matthew Ford said Mt Cook Aerodrome dipped down to -7C overnight and in the high country Pukaki recorded -6C. In Otago, Dunedin Airport also dipped to -6C. Ford said although it would have been a cold night for the South Island, with grounds temperature of -6C to -7C amounting to a severe frost, for this time of year it was not uncommon for inland Canterbury and Central Otago to have temperatures around -5C to -6C degrees. As the day progressed, most of the South Island could expect clear skies, he said. Much of the North Island was also expected to be fine on Monday but some showers and easterlies were expected in the north, from Coromandel and north of Auckland, as well on the east coast around Gisborne and Hawkes Bay.
