Beijing on Monday received its heaviest rainfall this year as the remnants of Doksuri, which is one of the strongest storms to hit the nation in years, passed through the city. As per the state broadcaster CCTV, over 31,000 people evacuated their homes in Beijing.
The average rainfall in Beijing overnight hit 140.7 mm, with the maximum recorded rainfall in the Fangshan area hitting 500.4 mm, the city’s observatory said. Rains in the southern and western areas were expected to be heavier early Monday.
Along with the capital city, Hebei, Tianjin and eastern Shanxi also witnessed heavy rainfall, the China Meteorological Administration said.
Doksuri caused widespread flooding over the weekend in the southern province of Fujian, which also saw thousands of people leave their homes.
The state media said that no reported damage or casualties were seen in Beijing. However, work was halted on over 4,000 construction sites and almost 20,000 buildings saw inspection for damage. The scenic spots in Beijing were also closed.
While Doksuri continues to taper off, forecasters warned that typhoon Khanun was approaching and was set to strike China’s densely populated coast this week.
Authorities said Khanun could inflict further damage to corn and other crops that have already been hit by Doksuri.
Evacuation seen in several areas
In Fujian, thousands of people were earlier relocated in order to ensure their safety and hundreds of ships returned to ports and transportation was suspended. Similarly, in Shijiazhuang, Hebei’s capital, over 20,500 people were evacuated over potential flooding, state media reported.
Earlier, for Beijing, Tianjin and the surrounding Hebei province, the emergency warnings about the potential flooding was raised to the second-highest level by China’s Ministry of Water Resources. Several rivers in the region were expected to flood.
“Authorities should closely monitor the weather, update forecasts for rainfall and water levels, and strengthen consultation, research and information transmission,” the ministry said on WeChat.
Reported damage
Doksuri made a landfall in China on Friday, storming through Fujian province and coastal areas.
It landed in China after ripping through Taiwan and the Philippines.
The state media has reported that as of Saturday, the storm had affected 1.46 million people in Fujian, with over 363,000 forced to evacuate and cost over $430 million in direct economic losses.
Social media posts showed emergency workers clearing fallen trees and debris from landslides, as well as people wading in thigh-high flood waters.
(With inputs from Reuters)