On August 3rd, the water levels of major rivers in the Haihe River Basin’s upstream were stabilizing and gradually receding. Meteorological forecasts indicated that the rain process in the Haihe River Basin had essentially ended. According to hydrological monitoring statistics, the main river channels of the Haihe River Basin, including Ziya River, Yongding River, Daqing River, and Beisanhe River, were showing steady water recession.
China experienced extreme precipitation from July 28th, leading to severe rainstorms in regions such as North China and the Huanghuai area. In the Haihe River Basin, 21 river sections in five major water systems, namely Beisanhe River, Yongding River, Daqing River, Ziya River, and Zhangweinan Canal, experienced floods exceeding warning levels. Among them, six river sections surpassed protection levels, and eight river sections witnessed the largest floods recorded. Preliminary analysis indicated significant floods in Yongding River, Daqing River, and Ziya River, with Daqing River and Ziya River experiencing major floods. Based on relevant regulations from the Ministry of Water Resources, it was preliminarily determined that the Haihe River Basin experienced a large-scale flood.
In response to the disaster, various regions and relevant departments promptly mobilized emergency rescue forces to carry out search and rescue missions, ensuring the safety and well-being of the affected people. Efforts were also made to restore damaged infrastructure. The protection of people’s lives and property was prioritized throughout the relief operations.
In Hebei Province, where heavy rainfall persisted since July 27th, the average precipitation exceeded 146 millimeters. The province experienced flooding in 94 counties, 826 townships, and villages. In response to this disaster, Hebei Province dispatched more than 4,700 rescue teams, comprising over 100,000 personnel. More than 2,200 working groups were sent to guide relevant cities and counties in dealing with the severe rainfall. By 10 a.m. on August 3rd, a total of 1.23 million people had been evacuated in Hebei Province, including 857,200 people in flood retention areas.
On August 3rd, the People’s Armed Police Force of Hebei continued its rescue operations in Zhuozhou City, evacuating and rescuing 872 affected people, with a total of 1,832 people successfully transferred.
In Beijing, the People’s Armed Police Force, with more than 4,000 officers, continued their efforts in frontline rescue operations, focusing on areas such as Mentougou and Fangshan districts, and the Yongding River and Dashih river basins, engaging in tasks such as road repairs and personnel search and rescue.
During this round of extreme heavy rainfall, Mentougou and Fangshan districts in Beijing recorded high average rainfall. Due to heavy rain, floods destroyed roads, communication, electricity, and other infrastructure in some areas, resulting in 43 villages temporarily losing contact with the outside world. Joint teams composed of People’s Liberation Army soldiers, armed police officers, public security officers, and firefighters established contact with these isolated villages by trekking on foot. As of 1:20 p.m. on August 3rd, the joint teams reached the last two isolated villages, Xishimen Village and Beishimen Village in Shidu Town, Fangshan District. With all the villagers accounted for and safe, it marked the reconnection of all the villages that were previously isolated due to the flood.
As of 6 p.m. on August 3rd, the comprehensive firefighting and rescue teams from Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei participated in handling 3,387 dangerous situations caused by the heavy rainfall, with 26,471 firefighters, 8,735 vehicles, and 3,815 boats rescuing and evacuating 22,423 stranded people.
As of the afternoon of August 3rd, a total of 7,349 people and 784 pieces of equipment (ships and machinery) from the Central Theater Command participated in flood control and disaster relief at multiple locations. More than 2,600 passengers stranded on trains K396, Z180, and K1178 were successfully evacuated. A total of 69.74 kilometers of roads were repaired and 25 tons of supplies were delivered.
Meanwhile, to facilitate emergency communication in the severely damaged communication infrastructure in Zhuozhou City, Hebei Province, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Emergency Management urgently deployed three China Mobile aerial base stations. Each of these unmanned aerial base stations can cover an effective range of more than 30 square kilometers and support 200 simultaneous phone calls.
Furthermore, relevant departments in Tianjin have been receiving emergency flood control supplies from the National Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters since August 2nd. The municipal water department urgently allocated 21 batches of 18 types of materials, including woven bags, life jackets, and inflatable boats, to Jinghai, Baodi, Ninghe, Jizhou, and Wuqing districts to meet the immediate needs of flood control and relief.
Public security departments at all levels have activated emergency responses and carried out traffic emergency work to ensure smooth traffic, open disaster relief channels, and respond to emergencies promptly and effectively. Since July 28th, public security and traffic management departments at all levels have dispatched 623,000 police officers, ensuring the smooth passage of 94,000 emergency rescue vehicles.
The adverse weather conditions are expected to continue, and meteorological experts have warned of continuing heavy rainfall and severe convective weather in eastern Inner Mongolia and northeastern regions. The public is advised to stay away from disaster-prone areas and river channels, especially in the afternoon when thunderstorms, strong winds, hail, and tornadoes are likely. Additionally, the potential impact of typhoons, such as heavy rain, strong winds, and storm surges, requires close attention, and coastal areas are advised to take necessary precautions for typhoon defense.
The Chinese Red Cross Society dispatched work teams to Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei disaster areas to assess post-disaster needs and guide local Red Cross societies in their flood control and relief work. An amount of 20 million yuan has been allocated to support the resettlement and recovery of affected people’s lives and production.
Efforts will continue to implement flood control measures nationwide to mitigate the impact of the disaster and ensure public safety.
https://www.gov.cn/yaowen/liebiao/202308/content_6896516.htm