China’s Bejing is experiencing an unprecedented torrential rainfall – worst in at least 140 years. The region is inundated by the remnants of Typhoon Doksuri, transforming the streets into canals and leaving emergency crews to navigate the deluge using rubber boats to rescue stranded residents. The Beijing Meteorological Bureau reported a staggering 744.8 millimeters (29.3 inches) of rain between Saturday and Wednesday morning. This deluge shattered records, surpassing the previous rainfall peak in 1891 when Beijing received 609 millimeters (24 inches) of rain.

Workers remove fallen debris from a railway track at a flood hit Village in Mentougou district on the outskirts of Beijing. (Image/AP)

Wreaking havoc, death toll reaches 21

The severity of the rainfall had a devastating impact on Beijing and the surrounding province of Hebei, triggering severe flooding and causing water levels to rise dangerously. The rain wreaked havoc, destroying roads, disrupting power supply, and even compromising pipes carrying essential drinking water. Rivers encircling the capital overflowed, leaving cars submerged in water, some even perched atop pedestrian bridges. 

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Tragically, the confirmed death toll from the incessant downpour reached 21 on Wednesday, including a rescuer named Wang Hong-chun. Wang, along with her teammates, met with a tragic accident when their rubber boat capsized in a swift-flowing river. Four of her fellow rescuers survived the incident, but at least 26 people still remain missing due to the relentless rains.

Residents evacuate on rubber boats through floodwaters in Zhuozhou in northern China’s Hebei province, south of Beijing. (Image/AP)

Rescue operations underway

One of the hardest-hit areas is Zhuozhou, a small city in Hebei province neighboring Beijing’s southwest. On social media, local police issued an urgent plea for lights to aid in rescue efforts as darkness descended. Rescue teams, employing rubber boats, valiantly traversed the flooded city to evacuate residents trapped in their homes, cut off from running water, gas, and electricity since Tuesday afternoon. 

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The team has been tirelessly operating since 2 am on Wednesday and expects to work into the night. So far, they have rescued around 200 individuals, many of whom were elderly and children. In Gu’an county, Hebei, which borders Zhuozhou, floodwaters reached alarming heights, climbing halfway up surveillance camera poles. As a result of the extreme conditions, nearly 850,000 people have been relocated, according to local authorities in Hebei province.

(With inputs from Associated Press)