Northern China faces year's worth of rain, 19,000 evacuated due to storms

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Heavy rainfall across northern China has dumped nearly a year’s worth of rain on Baoding, a key industrial city near Beijing, displacing over 19,000 residents as streets flooded and transportation networks became impassable. In Yi, located in western Baoding, a record 447.4 mm (17.6 inches) of rain fell within 24 hours before dawn Friday, prompting weather stations across Hebei province to record historic rainfall levels.

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) reported that approximately 19,453 individuals from 6,171 households had been evacuated. While their exact relocation sites weren’t specified, footage showed police officers in neon rain gear wading through waterlogged streets during the night. The rainfall has been likened to the severe typhoon in 2023 that caused unprecedented floods in Beijing, marking the most intense rains recorded in 140 years.

In Zhuozhou, which experienced catastrophic flooding two years ago, access to several bridges and roads was again cut off after over 190 mm of rain fell by Friday morning. This pattern of extraordinary precipitation is becoming more common in northern China, with some experts attributing the increased rainfall to climate change.

Last year, Hebei province had an annual rainfall of 640.3 mm—26.6% above its long-term average—and has seen consecutive years of above-average precipitation since 2020. Summer storms contributed to 40% more-than-normal rainfall in Baoding and nearby cities, with some localized areas experiencing up to 80% more rain than usual.

This trend ties into broader climate shifts driven by the East Asian monsoon, leading to severe weather events that threaten economic stability and infrastructure. Authorities remain vigilant as they contend with aging flood defenses and the potential for widespread displacement and damage to the region’s $2.8 trillion agricultural sector.

Baoding issued a red alert for heavy rains Friday morning, and Hebei activated heightened emergency protocols. Meanwhile, Beijing—about 160 km away—was also affected, with forecasts predicting heavier rains that could bring more than 50 mm (2 inches) of rain within six hours, possibly triggering flash floods, landslides, and other secondary disasters.

In northern China, railway services in Inner Mongolia were disrupted as authorities suspended multiple passenger trains passing through high-risk areas from Friday through Tuesday, further underscoring the widespread impact of these intense storms.