After days of torrential downpours, Beijing has flipped the switch on power, water, and communication in every village battered by the July rainstorms, the municipal emergency management bureau announced on Saturday.
From July 23 to 29, intense rain in the northern mountainous areas of the Chinese mainland's capital unleashed floods and landslides that claimed 44 lives and left nine residents missing. By Saturday morning, crews had resolved all water supply interruptions and restored electricity and phone lines to 312 administrative villages across 40 townships.
In the hardest-hit Miyun and Huairou districts, emergency repair teams raced to install temporary generators, set up satellite phones, and deploy mobile network stations. Thanks to these fast-tracked solutions, communication channels are now fully operational in all 190 affected villages.
More than 300,000 residents were directly impacted by the floods, and roughly 24,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. At the peak of the emergency response, over 100,000 people were evacuated to 824 resettlement sites scattered across the city.
Following safety inspections, many families have started moving back. As of Friday, 10,876 residents remain in temporary shelters at 155 sites—a drop of over 90% since the peak of relocations. The number of active resettlement centers has fallen by 669, a sign that normal life is steadily returning.
Beijing's rapid recovery showcases the power of coordinated disaster response and the resilience of local communities. As lights and signals come back, schools plan to reopen, businesses aim to resume operations, and travelers watch for new updates before exploring the city's historic streets once more.
Stay tuned for more stories on how urban centers around the world bounce back from extreme weather—and what we can all learn from their experiences.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
