A powerful storm named Doksuri has been unleashing its fury on northern China since Friday, wreaking havoc and prompting authorities to issue red alerts in swathes of the region. Heavy rains have lashed Beijing and surrounding areas, causing severe flooding, washing away cars, and inundating subway stations.
With millions of people affected, authorities have warned residents to stay home and exercise caution amid the extreme weather conditions. Hundreds of bus services in the Chinese capital were suspended, and the city government issued the highest flood warning for the suburban Dashihe River.
Residents shared footage of the devastation on social media, revealing the extent of the damage caused by the raging storm. In one video, a parked van can be seen half-submerged in fast-flowing brown water in the southern Fengtai district. Reports from local media mentioned road surfaces caving in under the rising water in the outer Fangshan district.
Videos posted on platforms like Xiaohongshu showed vehicles being swept away by muddy torrents and thoroughfares transformed into rapids on the outskirts of Beijing. Another video depicted murky water swamping a large intersection in the outer Mentougou district, adjacent to high-rise apartment blocks.
As the storm persisted, rainwater even infiltrated a subway platform in western Beijing’s university district. Authorities urged residents to take precautionary measures, with many opting to work from home. The city’s usually bustling streets were relatively quiet as delivery drivers navigated pools of water seen in usually packed bike lanes.
The governments of Beijing and neighboring Hebei province have renewed red alerts for rainstorms, as China experiences extreme weather conditions and record-breaking temperatures this summer. Climate scientists have highlighted that climate change is exacerbating such extreme weather events.
Experts are wary of potential worse flooding than what occurred in July 2012 when 79 people lost their lives, and tens of thousands were evacuated. In just 40 hours between Saturday night and Monday noon, an average of 170.9 millimeters of rain inundated Beijing, nearly equivalent to the average rainfall for the entire month of July based on official records.
As the nation grapples with the challenges posed by Doksuri’s wrath, authorities are mobilizing resources to mitigate the impact on communities and infrastructure. However, the relentless storm serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address climate change and its effects on extreme weather patterns.
Sources By Agencies
