Record Rainfall Forces Evacuation of 19,000 in Northern China

Rescue workers evacuate flood-affected residents with a boat in Rongjiang county, Guizhou province, China June 24, 2025. — Reuters

Torrential storms have hit Baoding, an industrial city near Beijing, with almost a year's worth of rain, leading to the evacuation of over 19,000 residents as floodwaters submerged streets and cut off road connections.

In Yi, located in western Baoding, 447.4mm (17.6 inches) of rain fell within 24 hours up to early Friday, breaking records at several weather stations across Hebei province, where the city is situated.

Baoding typically receives slightly over 500mm of rainfall annually, as per official data.

A total of 19,453 people from 6,171 households were evacuated, as reported by the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) on social media.

The forecaster did not specify relocation details but shared a clip showing two policemen in neon rain jackets wading through a waterlogged street as heavy rains fell at night.

The amount of precipitation was compared to the exceptional rainfall from a powerful typhoon in 2023, which flooded Beijing with unprecedented rains.

Baoding's Zhuozhou faced road closures and bridge access issues after receiving over 190 mm of rain by Friday morning.

Recent years have seen record-breaking rainfall in northern China, posing flood risks to densely populated cities like Beijing. Some scientists attribute the increased rainfall in China's typically arid north to global warming.

Hebei province experienced 26.6% more rainfall than its long-term average last year, with consecutive above-average annual precipitation since 2020.

Last summer, Baoding and neighboring cities had significantly more rainfall than usual, with some areas in Baoding recording an 80% increase in rains.

Intensifying rainfall is part of the broader extreme weather pattern in China due to the East Asian monsoon, causing disruptions in the economy.

Authorities are monitoring extreme rainfall and flooding, which challenge flood defences, threaten displacement of millions, and impact the agricultural sector.

Baoding maintained a red alert for heavy rains, while Hebei heightened its emergency response preparedness.

Beijing, about 160 km from Baoding, also faced the impact with forecasts of heavy rains potentially leading to flash floods and other disasters.

Heavy rains in Inner Mongolia disrupted railway services, leading to the suspension of passenger trains passing through high-risk areas.