The village that suffered the most damage from days of torrential rains that hit Fuping County in north China's Hebei Province and other nearby regions is actively launching emergency responses to recover from the weather-triggered impacts.
The torrential rain from Friday through Saturday in Fuping County, Hebei Province, severely impacted the region, with the county recording its highest single-day precipitation. From 17:00 Friday to 01:00 Saturday, the average rainfall in Fuping reached 140.5 millimeters.
A hydrological station in Xizhuang Village, the hardest-hit town in Fuping, recorded the highest precipitation of 532 millimeters, and the village also documented the most intense hourly precipitation of 145 millimeters, the highest on local record.
Video footage released by China Central Television (CCTV) showed that, on Saturday, transportation facilities and farmland near the village suffered varying degrees of damages.
"A major road in our economic development zone, which is also the only road from Baoding to Fuping, was severely damaged. Currently, local authorities and villagers are working urgently to repair the road," said Liu Pengfei, a villager.
Additionally, residential areas in the village were also hit hard by the torrential rains, with community roads covered in thick mud and dozens of passenger vehicles being washed away.
Efforts to minimize the impact of bad weather were also unrolled in the broader Fuping County, with emergency responders from local transportation and power sectors working to repair damaged roads and bridges as well as power supply and communication equipment.
As of 18:00 Saturday, the torrential rains in Fuping had affected 46,235 residents, resulting in two deaths and the relocation of 4,655 people, with two still unaccounted for, according to local authorities.
Recovery efforts underway in hardest-hit village after torrential rains in north China
The Republic of Korea (ROK)'s former impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday was sentenced to five years in prison on arrest obstruction charges.
The criminal division of the Seoul Central District Court in charge of Yoon's obstruction of justice case handed down the prison sentence to Yoon for abusing the presidential security service to hinder the anti-corruption agency from executing its arrest warrant in January 2025.
The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) was once thwarted in its attempt to arrest Yoon as the presidential security service formed human shields and bus blockades to prevent investigators from entering the presidential residence.
The team of Cho Eun-suk, an independent counsel who led investigations into Yoon's insurrection and other charges, demanded a 10-year prison term for Yoon.
The court said Yoon privatized the presidential security service for personal safety and private interests by blocking the law enforcement agencies' lawful execution of an arrest warrant and attempting to destroy evidence, pointing out that despite the very bad nature of his crime, he consistently offered unconvincing excuses and showed no remorse.
The court stressed that severe punishment was necessary, considering the need to restore the rule of law damaged by Yoon's crime, but it noted that the fact that he was a first-time offender with no criminal record was considered a favorable factor.
The sentencing, which was broadcast live, was Yoon's first verdict coming from his botched martial law bid.
The first-instance sentencing for Yoon's insurrection charges was scheduled for Feb 19. The special counsel sought a death penalty for Yoon on the charges.
Yoon declared emergency martial law on the night of Dec 3 in 2024, but it was revoked hours later by the National Assembly.
The constitutional court upheld a motion to impeach Yoon in April 2025, officially removing him from office.
The ousted leader was indicted while in detention in January 2025 on charges of leading an insurrection, becoming the first sitting ROK president facing such prosecution.
ROK ex-president Yoon sentenced to 5 years in prison on arrest obstruction charges
ROK ex-president Yoon sentenced to 5 years in prison on arrest obstruction charges
