Uncovering Insights from Public Data on Beijing's Fatal Flood Catastrophe

In the wake of the recent flooding in Beijing, Chinese social media platforms have seen a shift in content, with genuine posts documenting the floods gaining prominence over AI-generated videos. Platforms such as Baidu's Haokan Video, Weibo, and Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) have displayed fewer artificial videos, a testament to the public's desire for authentic information.

However, not all content on these platforms has been factual. Recycled footage from past floods has been found on Douyin, and one video even misrepresented a mudslide from Japan in 2021 as a Beijing flood. Similarly, AI-generated videos on YouTube Shorts have gained significant views, featuring disproportionately sized objects, overly dramatized scenes, and cars randomly appearing and disappearing.

The impact of the floods extends beyond Beijing. Across Hebei Province, more than 1,300 hectares of farmland have been submerged, and satellite data shows the scale of the flash floods north and east of Jiuying Village. According to Reuters, much of the affected farmland in Jiuying Village was low-lying cornfields.

The death toll from the flooding is sadly high. Thirty-one fatalities were confirmed at an elderly care home near the banks of the Qingshui River in Taishitun, a town in Beijing. The exact number of cities and towns around Beijing affected by the flooding, or the extent of the disruption caused, remains unclear due to limited information available in the search results.

Despite the floods, 80,000 people have been evacuated citywide. Yu Weiguo, a Communist Party secretary for the Miyun District, which includes Taishitun, acknowledged "gaps" in the city's readiness. Bellingcat reached out to the Beijing Municipal People's Government for comment but did not receive a reply at the time of publication.

The floods have been visually striking, with Copernicus' False Colour (Urban) band showing flooded areas in dark blue, highlighting the impact across Hebei Province. Unfortunately, misinformation has also been prevalent, such as fake posts on Facebook claiming actor Jackie Chan had died in the Beijing floods, which collectively gathered over 150,000 likes.

As the situation continues to unfold, it is crucial for social media users to remain vigilant and seek out reliable sources of information to stay informed.