China floods: Torrential rains kill at least 34; authorities evacuate 80,000 as over 130 villages lose electricity
Chinese President Xi Jinping directed authorities on Monday to contemplate worst-case scenarios and urged relocating of people residing in flood-threatened areas, AFP reported.
A deadly landslide in Luanping County, Hebei Province, claimed the lives of four people, while eight others remain unaccounted for. The incident occurred in a remote village. A local resident told Beijing News, a state-affiliated outlet, that communication had been cut off, leaving him unable to contact his relatives.
In Beijing's Miyun District, officials discharged water from a reservoir that had reached its highest level since it was constructed in 1959. Authorities cautioned the public to stay clear of rivers downstream, as water levels continued to rise amid forecasts of additional heavy rainfall.
China's Premier Li Qiang said Monday that the heavy downpour and flooding in Miyun led to 'serious casualties", and stressed for rescue efforts, the China's Xinhua News Agency report said.
Beijing authorities carried out a high-level emergency action at 8 pm on Monday, requesting residents to stay inside, shutting down schools, suspending construction work and pausing outdoor tourism and other activities until the response is withdrawn.
The heaviest rain in Beijing was likely on early Tuesday, with rainfall of up to 30 centimeters prediction for some places, AP reported.
Red alerts were issued as the heavy rainfall tracked its way from Sichuan Province in the southwest, through Gansu in the northwest, and onward to Liaoning Province in the northeast. Meanwhile, several trains heading to Beijing were suspended, and one of the city's airports faced flight delays and cancellations, a Reuters report mentioned.
Notably, Beijing and Hebei experienced extreme flooding in 2023.
(With inputs from AFP, AP and Reuters)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Gifford Fire map: Multiple evacuation orders issued for California's San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara County as 3 injured
A rapidly spreading Gifford fire in Southern California became so massive that it forced evacuations in parts of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County. U.S. Forest Service firefighter Alan Gudino shields his face while battling the Madre Fire as it makes a run along Highway 166 on Thursday, July 3, 2025, in San Luis Obispo County, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)(AP) The California Department of Forestry and Fire reported that the Gifford fire erupted on Highway 166 west of Cuyama on Friday afternoon and had spread to more than 30,500 acres by Saturday evening. Only 5% fire has been contained so far. 'The terrain and abundance of fuels have made suppression efforts challenging,' fire officials informed. 'But firefighters remain focused on a full-suppression strategy.' Gifford Fire: What is the status of wildfire in two counties? Driven by dry fuels, low humidity, and sunlight, the blaze started as several tiny spot fires that swiftly combined and spread. Both sides of Highway 166 still have active fires. In a bid to put out the fire and safeguard the nearby populations, firefighters are using both ground workers and aerial resources, such as helicopters and Very Large Air Tankers (VLATs). Also Read: Huda Kattan under fire for spreading anti-Israel conspiracy theories, TikTok takes down her 'vile' video Gifford Fire: Which cities or areas are affected? Cuyama, CA New Cuyama, CA Santa Maria, CA San Luis Obispo County Santa Barbara County Multiple evacuation orders in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties are currently under several evacuation orders. Evacuation orders have been issued in Santa Barbara County for: Regions east of Willow Springs Trailhead, west of Cottonwood Canyon Road, and south of Highway 166. The Cuyama area and the rest of Santa Barbara County is under an air quality watch. The stretch of Highway 166 between Highway 101 and New Cuyama is closed. 3 injured in Gifford Fire Two contractors and one citizen suffered injuries in the Gifford Fire. The Forest Service reported that three people were injured in the Gifford Fire as of Saturday. One of the injured people was flown to a local hospital due to severe burn injuries. A rollover incident involving a UTV vehicle injured two contractors. While one with minor injuries was transferred by ambulance, the other suffered moderate injuries and was rescued by helicopter. All three were admitted to Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria for treatment.
Mint
10 hours ago
- Mint
Watch: For first time in 600 years, dormant volcano erupts in Kamchatka after earthquake; Russia lifts tsunami warning
Earthquake Today: After being dormant for 600 years, the Krasheninnikov Volcano in the Kamchatka Peninsula region erupted overnight, and a 7.0-magnitude earthquake wreaked havoc in the nearby Kuril Islands, reported the news agency Reuters. The Russian Ministry for Emergency Services cancelled its tsunami warning for the Kamchatka Peninsula region on Sunday, 3 August 2025, after the earthquake in the nearby region. The Ministry said that Sunday's wave heights were low. However, according to the Telegram notification cited in the agency report, they warned people to move away from the shoreline. Videos shared on the social media platform X show the volcanic ash and clouds rising to the sky from the formerly dormant volcano. The U.S. Geological Survey and the Pacific Tsunami Warning System both noted a 7.0-magnitude earthquake on Sunday; however, as per the agency report, there were no tsunami warning issues after the earthquake. This earthquake comes after the Krasheninnikov Volcano eruption in Kamchatka overnight at the weekend. As per local media reports cited, the volcano erupted for the first time in the last 600 years. 'This is the first historically confirmed eruption of Krasheninnikov Volcano in 600 years,' Olga Girina, head of the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team, told local media portal RIA. According to the agency report, both the volcano and the earthquake incidents can be connected to the huge earthquake Russia witnessed last week. The earthquake triggered tsunami warnings across French Polynesia and Chile. The massive earthquake was also followed by a Klyuchevskoy volcano eruption, the most active volcano in the Kamchatka Peninsula region. Scientists warned last week that strong aftershocks could occur in the region over the next several weeks. 'The ash cloud has drifted eastward toward the Pacific Ocean. There are no populated areas along its path,' said the Ministry, citing the Telegram channel Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Girina. The Russian Ministry also said that it witnessed the ash plume from the volcano, which erupted on Sunday, rise up to 6,000 meters, with the volcano standing tall at 1,856 metres above sea level. They also assigned the orange aviation code due to the eruption, as there is a heightened risk to aircraft in the region. On Wednesday, 30 July 2025, Kamchatka Peninsula witnessed a powerful 8.7 magnitude earthquake, which triggered tsunami warnings from Japan and the US Tsunami Warning Center. Mint reported earlier, citing the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), that the undersea earthquake was located roughly 250 kilometres from Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island. The tremors of this earthquake were felt only slightly in Japan. However, the agency issued a tsunami warning of waves up to 1 metre in height last week. Even though no injuries were reported, there had been structural damage in the affected area.
Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Tsunami alert in parts of Russia's Kamchatka after 7.0 quake near Kuril Islands
A tsunami was deemed possible in three areas of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on Sunday following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake near the Kuril Islands, the country's Ministry for Emergency Services said. Tsunami warning in Russia(Getty Images via AFP) 'The expected wave heights are low, but you must still move away from the shore,' news agency Reuters quoted the ministry's advisory on its Telegram channel, urging caution despite minimal projected impact. Meanwhile, the Pacific Tsunami Warning System confirmed the quake's 7.0 magnitude but stated that no tsunami warning had been issued. The US Geological Survey also recorded the quake at magnitude 7. The region also saw an eruption from a dormant volcano, although further details on the eruption were not immediately available.
