Two Years Ago Today: Record Rain in Beijing Kills 77

Although Monday's weather forecast called for rain that hasn't fallen as of this writing, July 21, 2012 was a different story.

In the worst storm in over 60 years, 77 people died, including drowning during flash floods, some trapped in their cars when they drove into flooded underpasses. The event led to the resignation of the then-Beijing Mayor and Beijing Vice Mayor. Here's how the Beijinger looked at the aftermath of the storm:

The Numbers

• The death toll from the storm has climbed to 37, with causes as follows: “25 were drowned, six were killed in house collapses, one by lightening [sic] strike and five were electrocuted.”
• 70,000 residents have been relocated.
• 80,000 passengers were stranded at Capital Airport after the cancellation of 500 flights.
• This is the worst storm since 1951, 61 years ago.
• The average precipitation for Beijing was 170mm.
• A township in Fangshan District received 460mm of rain.
• Beijing’s average precipitation for the month of July is 185.2mm, spread out over 13.6 days. (Data from 1971-2000.)

The Wall Street Journal has offered a scathing report of how Beijing is shamefully unable to handle this level of rain. They cite several comments from Weibo to suggest the mood of a citizenry who are angry at the government and city authorities for investing so heavily in development, but failing to offer the basic infrastructure befitting a modern, metropolitan. Additional comments from Weibo users offer the same sentiments:

• "We can make things fly in the sky ... but can’t make a system several meters’ deep work. Tiananmen and the Forbidden Palace remained undisturbed but buildings built with modern technology can’t take heavy rain. Does this mean we are going backwards?"
• "The sewer system is the conscience of a city. The outside is pretty but conscience is jammed ... this is how tragedy happens."
• "Twenty years ago, Shenzhen experienced a similar situation ... but Shenzhen didn’t get flooded again. Hopefully Beijing can learn something this time."
• "How much of it is natural disaster? How much is human behavior? How can we change?"
• "Beijing is so weak. Only raining for a day? This shouldn’t have happened."
• "Beijing's government should have done the following two things a long time ago: 1. Make sure the sewer system works. 2. Collect rain to prepare for a drought. But they don’t – all their thoughts are occupied on how to deal with non-Beijing locals."
• "Pathetic, a city without sewer system."
• "A normal heavy rain, common in the south, happens in the capital and paralyzes the whole city. But it was like this last summer. Last year, last decade, what have they done? We see great people in the rain, but what has the government done? Please start an investigation and ask questions. Don’t blame nature, please do some self-examination."

Read the full coverage here and here, and follow some tips for safety in possible future foul weather here.

Photo: blogs.wsj.com