【新唐人2012年7月24日訊】21號，北京遭遇61年來最強暴雨，城區到處積水，很多市民和車輛被圍困水中。官方通報，暴雨已造成37人死亡，7人失蹤。水災中，當局救援不力、城市排水系統嚴重落後等問題被暴露無遺。大陸媒體批評：在城市發展中，當局一直只重視城市外表，不重視地下排水等設施的建設，是典型的「要面子，不要裡子」。
7月21號北京市區的這場暴雨，平均降水量達每小時170毫米。暴雨之下，北京市區從二環到四環，20多座立體交叉橋積水，交通中斷，很多汽車被淹沒。
當天的525架次航班被迫取消，機場地鐵線也因大雨中斷營運，大量旅客滯留機場。
受災嚴重的房山區則有山洪暴發，河堤被損壞、河水外溢，有村莊被洪水圍困。
官方通報，截至23號，已有37人因暴雨死亡，7人失蹤。暴雨造成經濟損失近100億，有近兩萬輛汽車受損。
但網友對官方的統計數據表示質疑。家住房山龍寶峪的網友爆料說：這邊死了200人都不止，邊上大棚住的人家全都空了，一片廢墟，連棺材都在馬路中間擋著。有個小女孩（剛）下917（路公交）直接被水沖走了，沒人救援，沒人報導。
民眾對當局的施政能力也感到非常不滿，網友寫道：居民淹死在二環快車道上，這簡直是北京市執政者的恥辱！
媒體揭示，北京排水系統的設計標準很低，只能應對1到3年一遇的降雨。存在的問題包括：設施建設滯後，設施老化，管理缺陷造成地下設施無法安全運行等。
而由於城市規劃不合理，擠佔了排水系統的升級空間，造成中國部分城市的排水系統很難大幅升級。上海《東方早報》報導指出，中國在以前的發展中，一直是「重地上、輕地下」，只重視城市外表，不重視地下排水等設施的建設，「要面子，不要裡子」。
北京市民華頗：「北京搞到很光鮮，是為增加自己（官員）往上爬的資本。那就得讓人看得著，而地底下是看不著的。」
但相比現代北京城的「每逢暴雨就成災害」，故宮西北角外的古城池——北海團城，雖同樣位處暴雨中心，卻無絲毫積水。團城內600年前明代所建的排水系統，仍然運作良好，地面只是稍顯潮溼而已。
對此，深圳獨立作家朱健國向《新唐人》表示，官方一直號稱要「以民為本」，實際上是「以黨為本」、「以官為本」。
朱健國：「對老百姓的重視程度還不如明代嘛！明代的北京城、清代的北京城，那時候大雨暴雨的防水體系的建設都還高於現在。」
朱健國指出，官方並沒有吸取教訓，而是再一次杜絕了老百姓的監督和批評，到現在為止，沒有一個執政者出面道歉，這才是真正的問題。
朱健國：「現在反而把北京暴雨當成一個感動，當成一個表揚，喪事當成喜事來辦。那麼這就可以預料，北京還將繼續在暴雨的侵害之中。」
當局的作為激發民眾的憤怒，有網民怒批當局：只建看得見的地上高樓，不管城市排水道﹔只做形象工程北京奧運、上海世博會、神九上天，不管百姓水深火熱！
朱健國：「那麼北京暴雨，現在看來，不是淹了北京城。而是民怨淹了北京城。它激起了更大的民憤 。」
去年（2011年）6月23號，北京在遭遇大雨後，地鐵被淹，首都機場和故宮汪洋一片。當時民眾嘲諷說：「到北京來看海。」
採訪/劉惠 編輯/李謙 後製/蕭宇
Beijing Criticized for Ignoring Drainage: Storm Causes 37 Deaths
On July 21, Beijing experienced
its strongest rainstorm in 61 years.
The city is now full of stagnant water, and many
people and vehicles were trapped by the water.
Official media reported that the rainstorm
has caused 37 deaths, with seven people missing.
Serious issues have been exposed, such as a lack of rescue
response from authorities, and a poor urban drainage system.
Chinese media criticised that the Chinese Communist Party
(CCP) authorities only pay attention to city appearance in urban development,
and ignore the construction of underground drainage
facilities. It is a typical CCP act to “to brush up the outside.”
The average rainfall per hour during the storm was 170 mm.
Over 20 highway bridges are standing in stagnant water.
Traffic is disrupted and a lot of cars were submerged.
525 flights were cancelled, and the subway station at the
airport is closed. Many travelers are stranded at the airport.
Fangshan District has been seriously impacted. There were
floods in the mountain areas, and the flood embankments were damaged.
The river overflowed, and villages
were trapped by flood water.
Official media reported that up until July 23,
37 people had died, and seven are missing.
The rainstorm has caused nearly 100 million yuan
in damages, and nearly 10,000 cars were damaged.
Netizens have doubts over the official data.
One netizen who lives in Fangshan Longbaoyu said that,
“over 200 people died here. The tent areas are empty.
The area has nothing left. A little girl was washed away.
There is no rescue or report on it."
People are also very unhappy
about the government’s rescue response.
One netizen wrote that some people were drowned
on the fast lane of the Erhuan highway.
This is a disgrace for the government.
Some media revealed that the design
of Beijing’s drainage system is poor.
It can only handle heavy storms,
which happen once every three years.
Issues surrounding the drainage include delayed construction,
outdated facilities, poor management and unsafe operation of underground systems.
Incorrect city planning meant that there was not room
provided for a drainage system upgrade.
Shanghai East Morning newspaper reported that China’s
development has been focusing on above the ground.
The CCP only pays attention to the external (It’s face).
Beijing citizen Hua Po: “Beijing looks nice.
The officials only think about getting promoted.
They pay attention to what people can see.
Under the ground is not visible.”
In comparison with modern Beijing’s disaster,
the ancient North Sea Tuancheng,
located at the northwest corner of the Palace Museum,
has no flood waters at all.
The drainage system was built 600 years ago
during the Ming Dynasty, and still operates well.
Only the surface of the ground is a little wet.
Independent writer Zhu Jianguo from Shenzhen told NTD
that the official statement of “for the people” is actually “for the CCP” and “for the officials.”
Zhu Jianguo: “Their attention towards people
is less than those in the Ming Dynasty.
Beijing in the Ming and Qing Dynasties
had a better system.”
Zhu Jianguo pointed out those officials did not learn their lesson.
They only stopped people’s criticism and monitoring.
Up until now, no official has stepped
out to apologize. This is the real fact.”
Zhu Jianguo: “The officials use Beijing’s storm
as an opportunity to praise themselves.
We can expect that Beijing will
continue to suffer during storms.”
What the authorities have done has caused anger from people.
Some netizens criticized that they only see high rise buildings above.
They do not care about the drainage system.
They only work on projects to brush up its image,
such as the 2008 Olympics, the World Expo, Satellites, etc.
They do not care about people’s lives.
Zhu Jianguo: “The storm in Beijing will not drown Beijing.
But people’s anger will. This is the true disaster.”
During last year’s storm on July 23rd 2011,
the subway system was drowned.
The Beijing airport and the Palace Museum were in water.
Netizens joked: “Come to Beijing to see the sea.”