BEIJING: At least eight people are confirmed dead and four remain missing after a flash flood swept through Inner Mongolia in northern China on Saturday night, state media reported Sunday.

The flooding occurred around 10 p.m. local time (1400 GMT) when a river overflowed its banks near Bayannur, a major agricultural hub located on the grasslands of Inner Mongolia. The flood washed away a group of 13 campers; only one person has been rescued so far.

The incident adds to a growing list of weather-related disasters across China, which has been grappling with weeks of extreme weather linked to the East Asian monsoon. Heavy rainfall has battered both northern and southern regions since July, triggering flash floods, widespread displacement, and major economic losses.

Experts attribute the intensified rainfall and erratic monsoon behavior to climate change, which has placed increasing pressure on local governments to improve disaster response and infrastructure.

Bayannur plays a critical role in China’s food production, known for its grain, oil crops, and livestock industry. The floods are expected to further strain agricultural supply chains.

Meanwhile, in the far south, Hainan province lifted a 3.5-month fishing ban on Saturday after persistent rains had kept vessels in port under government orders.

The central government has allocated 430 million yuan ($59.9 million) in additional disaster relief funding, bringing total aid since April to at least 5.8 billion yuan.

Last month, torrential rain in Beijing – nearly 1,000 kilometers from Bayannur – killed at least 44 people and forced over 70,000 to evacuate.