Global Times reported that heavy rain continued to fall on the capital Beijing and northern China for the fourth consecutive day, causing widespread flooding, killing at least 20 people.
Severe, persistent storms due to the circulation of Doksuri have hit these areas since July 29.The Chinese government has launched large-scale rescue and relief efforts.
On the afternoon of August 1, Beijing authorities said that 11 people had died in the storm in the capital, including two rescue workers who died while on duty.
Late in the afternoon of August 1, the Ha Bac provincial government confirmed that 9 people had died in the heavy rain in recent days, including 4 people in Bao Dinh city and 5 people in Hinh Dai city.
At least 19 people are still missing in Beijing and Hebei.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a comprehensive search and rescue of missing or stranded by floods and geological disasters, and issued a directive on flood prevention and disaster relief - Xinhua reported.
China has allocated 110 million yuan ($15.43 million) to support flood prevention and disaster relief in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei - according to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management of China on August 1.
This money will be used to support emergency rescue and relief efforts for people affected by floods.
Northern China is experiencing a record-breaking period of heavy rain. As of 6:00 a.m. on August 1, Beijing recorded an average rainfall of 257.9 mm. In Mon Dau Cau and Phong Son districts, the average rainfall was up to 470.2 mm and 414.6 mm respectively.
By the afternoon of August 1, about 45,000 people in 13 districts in the capital were severely affected and 127,000 people had to be evacuated. Economic losses are being calculated.
According to the assessment, the intensity of rain has far exceeded the level on July 21, 2012, when 79 people died in the entire capital Beijing, half of whom were in Phong Son district.
The highest rainfall recorded at the two meteorological stations was more than 700 mm, while the highest rainfall in 2012 was 541 mm.
Beijing is stepping up disaster relief efforts, using military helicopters to release essential supplies and move stranded residents.
At the same time, the Departments of Irrigation of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei are coordinating to control flooding, such as releasing floodwaters first to minimize the overall impact of flooding across the region.
Beijing first used Zhaitang Beijing reservoir was built in 1998 to release floodwater first on July 29, before converting the flow into the reservoir from July 31, maximizing flood control efficiency.
The Houairou Reservoir also began releasing floodwaters on the afternoon of August 1. In the first hours, the maximum discharge was 4 times higher than the average recorded in previous years.
According to the Ha Bac provincial government, from July 27, the average rainfall in this province is 137.4 mm. Over the three days, the amount of water poured into the province's waterways reached more than 400 million cubic meters, with some rivers having to cope with the large amount of water flowing in from Beijing. The whole province recorded water levels rising at 142 stations on major rivers.
As of the afternoon of August 1, Ha Bac province has continuously activated 7 flood-prone areas and completed the evacuation of 847,400 people.
Trac Chau is one of the cities in Hebei that was most severely affected by floods. The city is experiencing power and water outages in some areas. More than 130,000 people in Trac Chau - a city of 660,000 people - were affected and 83,100 people had to be evacuated.
