After Ten Days of Floods, Villagers of Huairou’s Liuming Temple Town Return Home

Ten days after the flood, a group of villagers from Liuming Temple Town in Huairou District, Beijing, finally returned to their homes. This marked the first wave of villagers from the area to re-enter their flood-affected village, after being relocated to temporary shelters in the city.

On August 5, a line of buses was lined up at a temporary shelter in Huairou City. Among the villagers waiting to board was 68-year-old Huang Xuesheng, his wife Ma Jiqin carrying a large woven bag. The couple, along with other villagers from Bichazizi Village, were about to embark on a journey back to their home, which had been cut off by the floodwaters for ten days.

Evacuation in the Dead of Night
Ten days ago, villagers were evacuated in a rush. On July 27, the entire Liuming Temple Town saw over 4,000 residents relocate to urban shelters. Many arrived with nothing but their phones, and even those who did bring items left behind most of their belongings. At the time, rescue teams were already working to clear debris and restore roads, but the villagers were eager to see their homes for themselves.

Huang Xuesheng and his wife spent an entire day before the evacuation preparing their home. They cleaned and stored what they could, but the flood had left its mark. A small vegetable patch bore the traces of the flood, and a plastic bucket filled with sludge was left behind.

Returning to a Changed Village
As the villagers returned, the village was in a state of recovery. Rescue teams were still clearing roads and helping residents with their daily needs. Villagers were busy collecting water, checking their homes, and receiving government-provided supplies such as rice, oil, and vegetables.

He Shufang, a villager, returned to find her dog and chickens still alive, thanks to the efforts of rescue workers who had cared for them during the evacuation. She cooked a meal using fresh corn she had picked from the field, a small but significant step toward normalcy.

The village’s leadership, including the village Party branch secretary and the first secretary, worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth return of the residents. They used loudspeakers to remind villagers of safety precautions, such as cleaning their homes, checking electrical and water systems, and collecting government supplies.

A New Beginning
As the sun set, the village slowly came back to life. The sounds of cooking filled the air, and villagers gathered around to share a meal. Though the roads were still filled with mud and the fields bore the scars of the flood, the sight of smoke rising from home stoves signaled a new beginning for the community.

The flood had tested the resilience of the villagers, but their determination to rebuild their lives was evident. With the support of the government and the efforts of the community, the village was slowly recovering, step by step.