Beijing issues red alert as torrential rain continues

Beijing and Guangdong face severe flooding as heavy rains continue. Beijing issued a red alert for rainstorms, with over 200 mm expected in some areas. Guangdong also saw road collapses and evacuations. Authorities have raised emergency response levels across regions

Beijing: Authorities in Beijing upgraded the rainstorm alert on Monday after heavy downpours wreaked havoc in the Chinese capital over the past week.

At 1 pm, the city’s meteorological service issued a red alert for rainstorms, the highest level in China’s four-tier system, predicting heavy rain across the city from noon through Tuesday morning. Most parts of the city are expected to receive over 100 mm of rain within six hours, with some areas forecast to see more than 200 mm.

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Meanwhile, the Beijing water authority and meteorological service have jointly issued flood warnings, highlighting Miyun District as highly vulnerable, with Fangshan, Mentougou and Huairou also at risk.

Several Beijing districts, including Shijingshan, Fengtai, Huairou, Fangshan and Mentougou, have issued red alerts for rainstorms, as mountainous areas in these districts face heightened risks of flash floods, mudslides and landslides.

Residents are urged to seek shelter during thunderstorms, avoid driving on flooded roads, and stay clear of mountains and rivers, Xinhua news agency reported. The neighboring Tianjin Municipality issued a yellow alert at 10:40 am, forecasting downpours and gales from Monday evening to night.

Yesterday, torrential rains battered multiple parts of China, triggering road collapses, resident evacuations and heightened flood risks, as authorities raised emergency response levels and warned of further downpours. In South China’s Guangdong Province, heavy rainfall led to 54 road collapses and the evacuation of over 300 residents in the counties of Fengkai and Huaiji in Zhaoqing City over the weekend.

Rainfall peaked at 258.7 millimetres in the city’s Nanfeng Township, according to meteorological data. Red alerts, the highest level for rainstorms, were issued in both counties on Sunday morning. Emergency crews have been deployed to repair damaged roads, while local officials urged residents to remain vigilant against potential flash floods and landslides, with more rain forecast in the coming days.

Guangdong Province has activated a Level-IV emergency response in anticipation of torrential rain. Parts of coastal cities and counties in eastern Guangdong and the southern Pearl River Delta are expected to experience extraordinarily heavy downpours. Last week’s intense rainstorms in Beijing claimed 44 lives, impacted over 300,000 residents, and damaged around 24,000 homes.