After the typhoon - the floods arrive: thousands evacuated from their homes in Beijing
A forecast for heavy rains that will bring hundreds of millimeters of rain led to mass evacuations in the Chinese capital. Hundreds of bus and metro lines stopped operating, and teams were sent to mountainous areas to respond to landslides.
Thousands of people have been evacuated from areas at risk of flooding and landslides in Beijing, as the remnants of Typhoon Dolphin continue to bring torrential rains to northern and central China.
Forecasters warned on Tuesday that the Chinese capital could see more than 150 mm of rain in the next 24 hours, with some districts expected to receive more than 200 mm — more than a third of Beijing's average annual precipitation, which stands at 528 mm.
Beijing remained under an orange rainstorm warning, the second-highest level, on Wednesday, with the heaviest rains expected throughout the morning. Authorities closed hundreds of tourist attractions and campsites on Wednesday, with more than 1,300 tourists evacuated or turned away. Meanwhile, more than 5,000 elderly people were moved from care facilities, and about 1,800 people living around construction projects in mountainous areas or along riverbanks were relocated.
The rain also disrupted travel on Wednesday morning. Official local media reported that 250 bus lines were suspended and trains operated at reduced speeds on 10 metro lines. Dolphin, the strongest typhoon to hit China so far this year, weakened after making landfall in eastern Zhejiang province on Sunday, but its remnants continued to pull large amounts of tropical moisture deep inland and soak the central and northern parts of the country.
Neighboring Hebei province was also on alert for flash floods, landslides, and other geological hazards. Authorities said they sent 623 teams to mountainous areas and equipped more than 2,100 at-risk villages with satellite phones or satellite messaging terminals to maintain communication in emergencies, according to state media.
