Pakistan, Aug. 1 -- Beijing city officials have admitted they were not fully prepared for the heavy rains that recently struck the capital, killing 44 people and leaving nine still missing. The rains, which began on July 23 and continued through July 29, triggered severe flooding that affected large parts of northern China. Rural suburbs in Beijing were hit the hardest, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate as homes, roads, and power lines were damaged.

Top city official Xia Linmao confirmed the rising death toll at a press conference on Thursday and offered condolences to the families of the victims. He revealed that 31 of the deaths occurred in an elderly care center in Taishitun, located in the city's northeast. Among the missing...