ISTANBUL

Heavy rainstorms killed at least 52 people in China by Thursday.

At least 44 people died and nine have been missing in the Chinese capital Beijing, according to the state-run daily Xinhua News.

At least 31 of the fatalities were reported in a nursing home in the suburban Miyun District, the hardest-hit area.

In the northern Hebei province's Chengde city, eight people died and another 18 have been missing, according to the state-run Global Times.

The heavy rain damaged many roads and caused power outages, disrupting multiple critical infrastructures.

Chinese President Xi Jinping had earlier urged all-out efforts to ensure the safety of lives and property in the fight against floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfalls.

The eastern, northern, and northeastern regions of China have also recently experienced continuous heavy rainfalls, which triggered floods and geological disasters.

The rains caused casualties in provinces of Jilin and Shangdong, besides Beijing and Hebei.