August 13th, 2025 - Beijing Evacuates Thousands Ahead of Floods, Leaving Many Vulnerable Residents at Risk

When the rains began, residents of Taishitun, a rural township about 70 miles northeast of central Beijing, were not overly worried. The area sits on a flat plain, far from mountains that could trigger mudslides, and it had no recent history of flooding. Though it lies near the convergence of three rivers, the closest—the Qingshui River—is about a quarter-mile away and flows into a large reservoir downstream.

That sense of security vanished in the early hours of July 28, when the Qingshui River suddenly burst through its banks, sending torrents of water racing through the streets. People ran outside, shouting at neighbors to wake up, and scrambled onto rooftops to escape the rising floodwaters. One of the first buildings to be hit was the Taishitun Elderly Care Center, where 55 of the 69 residents were fully or partially dependent on the eight staff present that day. The single-story facility was quickly submerged under six feet of water.

Firefighters arrived around 7 a.m., but the currents—at times faster than Niagara Falls—overpowered them. Rescue operations began three hours later, with workers swimming into the nursing home with ropes to reach people clinging to windowsills. Sadly, 31 residents died in the flood, shocking Beijing and drawing national attention. “No one expected this,” said Cai Xiaokui, a local resident. “Even people over 80 here have never seen weather this bad since they were children.”

The disaster has exposed gaps in emergency planning. While officials evacuated more than 16,000 residents in Miyun District, the nursing home was overlooked. Beijing authorities issued a rare apology and promised to fully implement all flood prevention and disaster relief measures. Experts noted that reliance on past weather patterns contributed to the failure to protect vulnerable populations.

The floods are part of a growing pattern of extreme rainfall in northern China, where precipitation last year was 83 percent higher than the 1991–2020 average. This year, northern Beijing and Hebei Province were hit, marking the fifth major flooding event in 15 years. Rivers like the Qingshui have been dredged and reinforced with flood walls, but experts warn that these measures often make surrounding areas less able to absorb water.

Despite the devastation, the floods also highlighted community solidarity. Residents worked together to rescue neighbors, using front-end loaders and inflatable boats, and local businesses offered food and lodging for survivors and emergency workers. Cai, a guesthouse owner, said, “Normally neighbors might have disagreements, but when something this big happens, people really come together.”

As China confronts increasingly unpredictable weather due to climate change, the Miyun tragedy underscores the urgent need to update disaster response plans, strengthen early warning systems, and ensure that vulnerable groups are not left behind. Experts argue for more sustainable approaches to flood control, such as restoring natural waterways and reducing concrete barriers, rather than solely relying on higher flood walls.

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster) - Calculus (noun, KAL-kyuh-lus) - Calculus refers to an advanced branch of mathematics that deals mostly with rates of change and with finding lengths, areas, and volumes. The word can also be used more broadly for the act of calculating—that is, estimating something by using practical judgment, or solving or probing the meaning of something.

Example: By my calculus the more efficient air conditioner will have paid for itself within a span of five years.