Temporary shelters house deluge victims

By noon on Tuesday, the gymnasium of Pinggu Sports Center in Beijing's flood-hit Pinggu district was filled with the sounds of three playing children while their mother, Du Yun, sat on a bed watching them.

The family is among a number of people relocated to the center as arranged by the local government.

"I have three children — one is 8 months old, another 2 years old and the third is 3," said Du. "The shelter converted the fitness room into a mother-and-infant room. I brought formula and diapers, and we were relocated within an hour. The children's father, grandmother and grandfather came with us.

"I was very touched because the shelter even provided mats, especially for my children. My children are all OK," she added.

Continuous heavy rainfall in Beijing has left 30 people dead as of midnight on Monday, with more than 80,000 people relocated, according to local authorities.

Inside the 2,700-square-meter gymnasium, 444 people from five villages in Zhenluoying town have found temporary refuge.

The relocation began at noon on Monday and was completed within three hours — from mobilization to full resettlement — said a town official.

At the Pinggu Sports Center shelter, hot lunches awaited the evacuees. Each person received a boxed meal containing meat and vegetables, along with mung bean soup.

Bottled water and instant noodles were neatly stacked inside the venue, and a makeshift medical corner was set up with equipment such as blood pressure monitors to assist those in need.

"We can eat hot food here, which is great," said a resident, who did not wish to be identified, while dining with his family.

Since the start of the downpours, Pinggu district has relocated 12,879 people and opened 40 centralized shelters using gyms, hotels, schools, village committees and guesthouses to accommodate the displaced.

"We are making all efforts to evacuate people in advance, trying to minimize harm and disruption," said Tang Hailong, Party secretary of Pinggu. "We want to act ahead of time, moving people out of villages that may be hit by disasters so they can feel secure."

Other districts in Beijing, including Miyun, Huairou, Fangshan and Shunyi, have also been affected and acted timeously to relocate residents.

In Huairou, a local military training center has been converted into a shelter.

"We have arranged 2,300 beds, with 1,020 people already settled," said Xiu Xiao, a local official in charge of resettlement. "The work is ongoing. We prioritize care for the elderly and children. Beyond basic food and shelter, we have also set up dedicated medical teams."

By Tuesday morning, Huairou had relocated more than 11,000 people across 15 towns and subdistricts and 130 villages.

Zhao Yonghong, 61, a resident of Shijiakou village in Niulanshan town, Shunyi district, was moved to a hotel shelter 3 to 4 kilometers away with his wife after receiving the relocation notice.

"We are currently staying at a hotel with good conditions. Village officials provide us with boxed meals, and medical staff regularly check on us. We are very grateful," he said.

Shi Yang, a local official, said 82 people from the village had been evacuated on Tuesday, including 35 who were over age 60.

"We completed resettlement within about an hour. Besides accommodation, we have four doctors patrolling shelters to ensure the health and safety of the people," Shi said.

Elsewhere, Jizhou district in neighboring Tianjin has also been hit by floods. On Monday, Jizhou's meteorological bureau raised its heavy rain warning to red and its geological disaster risk level to orange.

The district currently operates seven centralized shelters, each equipped with beds, bedding, food and drinking water to meet basic needs. More than 10,000 people have been relocated.

Wang Hongyun, 67, who was vacationing in Tianjin with friends, was trapped in a farmhouse by the floods.

"We were rescued at 11 am on Tuesday. The rescue team reached our location and carried us out on stretchers," she said.

Wang Hongwei, director of Jizhou's emergency management bureau, confirmed that 10,527 people had been moved to safety.

"We've provided bedding, food, water and essential facilities at all shelters," Wang said. "Our next step is restoring daily routines and economic activities while ensuring all necessary support for relocated residents."

Contact the writers at zhaoruinan@chinadaily.com.cn