Rain-battered villages in Beijing's suburban districts have responded quickly to the extreme weather to protect the safety of residents.
The persistent heavy rainfalls have damaged some houses in Xizhuangzi Village, Fengjiayu Township of Miyun District. Local authorities have set up a temporary settlement at the village committee.
The village's officials started to evacuate affected residents on Saturday when the downpours began, and by Sunday, dozens of households have been evacuated to the temporary settlement.
"Fengjiayu Township government has arranged food and drinks for our temporary settlement, mainly water, instant noodles, and bread. Since we are experiencing water and power outages, we can only provide simple meals for those affected. So far, this provision can meet the food needs of about 500 to 600 people," said Liu Changbao, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) branch in Xizhuangzi Village.
"The village authorities have shown great concern for us villagers. After the downpours began, the officials visited every household to remind us to take care and evacuate immediately. We responded to their call and evacuated promptly," said Rao Guitian, a resident of Xizhuangzi Village.
Xizhuangzi has a registered population of 1,000, with more than 300 permanent residents. Although the heavy rainfalls have destroyed many homes, some houses on higher ground were luckily almost unaffected.
The village reported no casualties, thanks to its swift response following the downpour.
Several locations in Huairou District have experienced damages and landslides caused by the rainfall, with Liulimiao Township in its northern part being the most severely affected area.
Rain-triggered floods have swept the town's Liulimiao Village, leaving thick silt on streets and inside residents' homes. Villagers have suffered serious losses, as vehicles were overturned by the floodwaters, while furniture were swept out of their houses by waters as deep as more than one meter.
"The floodwaters rushed in suddenly, rising within just 10 minutes to fill the house," said Su Shouhua, a resident of Liulimiao Village.
Liulimiao Township has more than 60 administrative villages under its jurisdiction. In addition to several villages around the township government, some are located higher up in the mountains.
The roads leading up to those villages have collapsed due to landslides and flood erosion, making it impossible for vehicles to pass. Firefighters can only trek all the way up the mountain to carry out rescue operations.
"It took up about 40 minutes on foot to reach the village. We went up here mainly because there were 18 trapped individuals in a two-story homestay. The building did not collapse, but the first floor was covered in mud about a meter deep. The 18 individuals were relocated to a safe settlement in the village, but blocked roads prevented us from evacuating them from the mountains," said Tang Junyu, a firefighter.
A total of 400 soldiers and 150 firefighters have been dispatched to Liulimiao Township to conduct rescue operations. By Sunday, 14 out of 18 blocked sections of national highways have been cleared, and work is underway to repair the remaining sections.
Relevant authorities are also working hard to restore communication and power supplies, with emergency power activated at some locations.
Rain-battered villages in Beijing respond quickly to protect residents
