North China authorities warn heavy rains could spark floods, landslides

BEIJING: Authorities in northern China warned heavy rains could bring floods and landslides Wednesday, issuing the country’s second-highest flood response.

China is enduring a summer of extreme weather, with heavy rains across the east and south coming as much of the north has sweltered under successive heatwaves.

And after days of scorching temperatures of over 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in Beijing, city authorities Wednesday triggered the second-highest flood prevention response.

Up to 150 millimetres (six inches) of rain could drench parts of the capital — home to around 22 million people — in a 24-hour period between Wednesday and Thursday evening, a statement on the city’s official Wechat said.

The downpours could “trigger mountain torrents, mudslides, landslips and other secondary disasters,” it said.

City authorities have ordered the temporary closure of some tourist spots as well as mountain and riverside hostels out of safety concerns, the statement said.

Beijing residents received text messages urging them to reduce outdoor activity, stay away from hilly or riverside areas, and take note of places of shelter.

Authorities in neighbouring Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing and is home to more than 70 million people, also warned of flooding, state news agency Xinhua said.

China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters warned there was a “high risk” that the heavy rains would cause natural disasters.

In eastern Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, Typhoon Gaemi was expected to make landfall on Thursday.

Authorities issued a red storm alert for the typhoon and Fujian has suspended all train services for Thursday.

Local media, citing officials, reported that coastal areas could see four-to six-metre-high (13-20 foot) waves.

Gaemi has already prompted officials in self-governing Taiwan to close schools and declare a typhoon holiday.

Flash floods in northern and southwest China killed at least 20 people over the weekend.

And in May, a highway in southern China collapsed after days of rain, leaving 48 dead.

China is by far the world’s largest emitter of the greenhouse gases that scientists say drive climate change and make extreme weather more frequent and intense.

Long addicted to polluting energy sources like coal, China has pledged to bring emissions of planet-heating carbon dioxide to a peak by 2030 and to net zero by 2060.

But it is already the world’s largest producer of renewable energy, with research this month showing Beijing is building almost twice as much solar and wind power capacity as every other country combined.

-AFP