Beijing Official Admits Failures In Deadly Floods: 'Putting People First Is More Than A Slogan'
A top city official acknowledged gaps in preparedness after devastating floods killed 44 people and displaced thousands across Beijing.
A top Beijing official publicly admitted to government failings in the city's response to catastrophic flooding, marking a rare moment of accountability amid mounting public scrutiny. Yu Weiguo, the Communist Party secretary for Miyun district- one of the hardest-hit areas- said that there were 'gaps" in the city's flood preparedness and that authorities had underestimated the severity of the storm.
Yu Weiguo said, 'There were gaps in our preparatory plans. Our knowledge of extreme weather was lacking. This tragic lesson has warned us that putting the people first, putting human life first, is more than a slogan."
The floods, triggered by record-breaking rainfall, have so far killed at least 44 people, with nine still missing as a staggering year's worth of rain fell in just seven days across Beijing and surrounding areas. The extreme weather impacted more than 300,000 people, forcing 80,000 evacuations and leaving over 100 villages without power. Residents in flood-prone regions like Miyun and Yanqing said that they received little to no warning before the storm struck.
Among the confirmed deaths, 31 occurred at a nursing home in Taishitun, a town in Miyun, where many residents had limited mobility. Yu Weiguo expressed 'deep mourning" for the victims, many of whom were elderly and unable to escape in time.
Beijing's Infrastructure Shortcomings Exposed
City authorities admitted that disaster prevention infrastructure in Beijing's mountainous outer districts remains underdeveloped and said existing response plans were insufficient to handle such unprecedented rainfall. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged all departments to 'make every effort to protect people's lives and property."
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First Published:
July 31, 2025, 17:31 IST
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