Beijing 30th July, 2023 (WAM)– Beijing has initiated nine emergency measures in preparation for a severe rainstorm expected to hit the city from Saturday night to Tuesday, with residents urged to stay indoors. Notable landmarks like the Palace Museum and the Yonghe Lama Temple, along with other scenic spots, will be temporarily shuttered on Sunday and Monday over safety concerns.
The National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued a top-tier red alert for rainstorms forecasted to impact the capital on Sunday and Monday. The alert is the first since 2011, triggered by the residual circulation of Typhoon Doksuri. Authorities anticipate Hebei, Beijing, and Tianjin will experience significant rainfall, and have urged residents to limit unnecessary outdoor activities.
Predictions suggest the storm will deliver over 100 millimeters of rainfall across a 220,000-square-kilometer area, affecting an estimated 130 million people. Some small and medium-sized rivers in parts of southern Beijing, Hebei Province, Shanxi, and Henan may breach safe water levels, while mountain areas of Hebei, such as Shijiazhuang, Xingtai, and Baoding, carry a higher risk of mountain floods and geological disasters.
Additionally, Beijing, Tianjin, central and southern Hebei, and northern Henan face a high risk of urban waterlogging and farmland inundation. Hebei Province, which is bracing for rainfall over 100 millimeters in cities including Shijiazhuang, Xingtai, and Handan, has escalated its emergency response to Level-I major meteorological disaster.
The Beijing Meteorological Service predicts that rainstorms in Beijing will persist for over 70 hours until Wednesday morning, with cumulative rainfall anticipated to range between 200 and 300 millimeters across the city, and 300 to 400 millimeters in the southwestern part of the city. Districts including Fangshan, Changping, Haidian, Fengtai, Daxing, Tongzhou, Xicheng, Dongcheng, and Chaoyang are expected to be affected by heavy rains from Saturday night to Tuesday night.
Beijing's flood control headquarters have outlined nine preventative measures, which include enabling work-from-home for employees, suspending in-person schooling and outdoor teaching activities, and relocating residents at risk from the storm. All major tourist attractions, parks, and guesthouses will also suspend operation.
As of Sunday morning, the average rainfall in Beijing was reported to be 34.2 millimeters. The NMC warns of a widespread impact from the rainstorm, with a large cumulative downpour anticipated.
The National Art Museum of China and the National Library of China have also announced their closures on Sunday and Monday. Regarding air travel, the Beijing Capital International Airport had operated 135 flights as of 8 am on Sunday, with 37 flights canceled, while maintaining its first-level response mechanism. The airport is expected to facilitate approximately 1,119 flights, carrying around 162,600 passengers throughout Sunday.