Power supply halted, trees uprooted: 30 dead in China as heavy rain lashes Beijing; see pics

According to official media on Tuesday, 30 people have been killed by heavy rain in Beijing, the capital of China, and 80,000 people have been evacuated. Large areas of northern China, including the capital and the provinces of Hebei, Jilin, and Shandong, have been severely battered by intense rainstorms this week.

According to Chinese news agency Xinhua, which cited the city's municipal flood control center, "the latest round of heavy rainstorms has left 30 people dead in Beijing" as of midnight Monday.

"Please pay attention to weather forecasts and warnings and do not go to risk areas unless necessary, as continuous extreme heavy rainfall has caused major disasters, warned the media source.” According to the report, Miyun, a suburban area northeast of the city center, had the greatest death toll.

In the rural Miyun area of Beijing, authorities discharged water from a reservoir that had reached its greatest level since it was constructed in 1959. As river levels increased and more heavy rain was predicted, authorities advised people to avoid the downstream rivers.

According to official media, Fangshan in the southwest and Huairou district in the city's north were also severely impacted. More than 130 villages have lost power, and dozens of routes have been closed, which has also damaged over 30 road segments and wrecked communication connections, said Beijing Daily.

Uprooted trees were lying in mounds with their bare roots visible in the town of Taishitun, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of central Beijing. Water flooded the streets, leaving muck on the walls higher up.

At 8 p.m. Monday, Beijing officials initiated a high-level emergency reaction, directing citizens to remain indoors, canceling schools, halting construction, and prohibiting outdoor tourism and other activities until the response is lifted.