Northern China is currently experiencing a severe weather crisis, with torrential downpours causing devastating floods that have claimed at least 13 lives and left several individuals unaccounted for.
The city of Ordos in Inner Mongolia has been particularly hard-hit. Rescue teams have recovered three bodies from floodwaters in Ordos, with three people still missing near the Yellow River, approximately 70 kilometers away. The affected district in Ordos received over 204 millimeters of rainfall in less than a day, more than double the average for August, indicating the extreme nature of this weather event. This follows a period of unprecedented rainfall in Hong Kong earlier in August, which saw over 350 millimeters fall, causing significant disruptions.
In response to the escalating crisis, the Chinese government has pledged over one billion yuan, equivalent to approximately $139 million USD, to support recovery efforts. This financial aid is designated for crucial tasks such as replanting crops, improving farmland drainage systems, and repairing damaged infrastructure in regions like Inner Mongolia. The Inner Mongolian Plateau, vital for agriculture and animal husbandry, is particularly vulnerable to such climate extremes, with studies indicating that extreme precipitation significantly impacts its vegetation.
The Yellow River, historically prone to devastating floods, has witnessed catastrophic events throughout its history. The 1887 Yellow River flood, for instance, is recorded as one of the deadliest in Chinese history, causing an estimated one to two million fatalities due to flooding and subsequent epidemics. More recently, in August 2025, a flash flood in Bayannur, Inner Mongolia, swept away 13 campers, resulting in at least 10 deaths and two missing individuals, underscoring the recurring challenges posed by extreme weather in the region. Weather experts increasingly link these intense weather patterns to climate change, presenting ongoing challenges for disaster preparedness and economic stability across China.