Monsoon Fury: Devastating Rains Add to Death Toll in Northern China

In northern China, severe rains have taken a grim toll, with at least 13 confirmed dead and five missing. The unrelenting downpour has hit parts of the region since July, attributed to the East Asian monsoon failing to shift.

State media reported that three bodies were recently recovered in the city of Ordos, Inner Mongolia, after intense rainfall. Television forecasts predict more heavy rains, following Monday's precipitation that significantly exceeded monthly averages. A river flood had also wreaked havoc, as ten lives were lost and campers swept away in Bayannur.

Rescue operations continue in Ordos, near the rare earth hub of Baotou, as severe weather tests China's aging flood defenses. Authorities link the natural calamity to climate change, raising concerns over the economic and social impact of such extreme events.

(With inputs from agencies.)