44 killed, nine missing after rain storms in Beijing

At least 44 people were killed and nine are missing in rain-triggered floods over the past week in Beijing, local officials said on Thursday, July 31.Officials in Beijing have launched all-out disaster relief and rescue operations in the last four days after a fresh spell of intense rainstorms damaged roads, disrupted power supply, and prompted mass evacuations.
Forty-four people were killed and nine others were listed missing, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted local officials as saying.
The deaths reportedly occurred in Beijing’s northern mountainous districts in Miyun and Yanqing, according to local authorities. Heavy rains started on Saturday.Earlier on Monday, July 28, Chinese President Xi Jinping had ordered all-out efforts to ensure the safety of people’s lives and property in the fight against rain-triggered floods and geological disasters affecting some parts of China.

Across Beijing alone, more than 80,000 people have been relocated, while the rainstorms damaged 31 road sections and disrupted the power supply in 136 villages, according to official media reports.

China’s Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management on Tuesday allocated 350 million yuan (USD 48.94 million) to central government disaster relief funds to nine provincial-level regions, including Beijing, which were affected by floods.

Also on Tuesday, July 29, China’s National Development and Reform Commission said that it had allocated 200 million yuan (USD 28 million) to assist disaster relief efforts in Beijing, Xinhua reported.

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