Roads as streams, tragedy with 31 victims in the elderly center
An updated balance of at least 44 dead and 9 dispersed in the apocalyptic scenarios that have seen parts of Beijing launched from the violence of the torrential rains. Roads transformed into impetuous streams and swept houses, in more secluded areas of the city, and above all the tragedy of the 31 victims of the retirement home in the district of Miyun, remembered in tears by the head of the Communist Party, Yu Weiguo, in a difficult press conference, unimaginable thinking about events that happened in the capital of the People’s Republic.
“At noon of July 31, 44 people died and nine still remain dispersed due to the disasters that took place throughout the city”, announced Xia Linmao, deputy mayor of Beijing and among the top officials of the local Communist Party, reading the tragic Bulletin of Maltempo recorded on 23-29 July. A period in which the strong rains on Beijing caused “significant victims and other losses”, added Xia, also citing the 31 deaths of the “assistance center for the elderly” in Taishiun, in the city’s Northeast. Among the missing there are also officials engaged in research and rescue operations, he added. “On behalf of the municipal committee of the party and the city administration, I would like to express deep condolences for those who unfortunately lost their lives and my most heartfelt condolences to their family members”, added the deputy mayor, remembering the “active” efforts of the rescue, restoration and reconstruction operations.
The most affected areas were the mountainous ones of the vast territory of Beijing, one of the four special municipalities of China, such as the districts of Miyun, Huairou, Yanqing and Pinggu. The greatest concerns came from Miyun’s basin, a reservoir filled to the historic highs and overflow, before starting to empty themselves gradually, reported the Beijing Water Authority.
During the briefing, Yu Weiguo, the head of the PCC of the Miyun district, admitted that there were shortcomings in the preparation of the city to the strong rains, despite the alert by the determined weather authorities in advance.
“There have been gaps in our preparatory plans. Our knowledge of the extreme weather conditions was lacking and this tragic lesson taught us that putting people in first place and putting human life in first place is more than one slogan,” continued Yu in tears.
On social media the dramatic videos of people committed to saving themselves from the fury of the waters in the roads transformed the streams loaded with mud, the cars stacked and drag, and the debris everywhere, have multiplied on social media. Numerous comments and disbelief towards a tragedy unthinkable for Beijing.
Since last week, large areas of northern China have undergone torrential rains and floods with deaths and damage, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuation, an increasingly violent weather phenomena effect.
