Highlights: Storm Doksuri, one of the strongest to hit the country in years, prompted authorities to evacuate thousands of people to Beijing. A red alert has been issued over a large area in China, including the capital. Authorities say the rains expected in the coming hours could be even heavier than those in July 2012, when 79 people died in historic floods. Storm is moving north where its "influence" is already being felt, according to the Chinese weather service. It caused significant material damage on Friday in the southeast of the country, with gusts of up to 175 km / h.

While northern China is already heavily hit by rain on Saturday, July 29, China is preparing for even more extreme conditions due to Storm Doksuri. One of the strongest...

China issues red alert for torrential rains in Beijing and evacuates thousands of residents

While northern China is already heavily hit by rain on Saturday, July 29, China is preparing for even more extreme conditions due to Storm Doksuri. One of the strongest to hit the country in years, the storm prompted authorities to evacuate thousands of people to Beijing after hitting the Philippines and Taiwan and hitting Chinese shores. A red alert has been issued over a large area in China, including the capital.

Firefighters evacuate residents of Quanzhou after Storm Doksuri arrives on July 28, 2023. © cnsphoto / via Reuters

Text by: RFI Follow

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Storm Doksuri, which has been sweeping through southeast China since Friday, is moving north where its "influence" is already being felt, according to the Chinese weather service. As the storm sinks inland, cumulative rainfall of more than 60 cm is forecast over an area of 220,000 km², which could affect about 130 million people.

The red alert, in effect since 20:12 local time (<>:<> GMT), includes a vast area of several hundred million inhabitants, which includes Beijing, the neighboring metropolis of Tianjin, the neighboring provinces of Hebei (North) and Shandong (East) as well as parts of Henan (Center) and Shanxi (North).

Authorities in the capital suspended sporting events, while a number of tourist sites and parks were closed, as well as the city's riverbanks. The capital's flood department said it had mobilized more than 203,000 rescue workers, while already more than 3,000 people have been evacuated.

This is the first time since 2011 that such a heavy rain alert has been triggered, according to local media. They say the rains expected in the coming hours could be even heavier than those in July 2012, when 79 people died in historic floods.

Gusts up to 175 km/h

These bad weather come at a time when on the other side of the country Typhoon Doksuri continues to progress. It caused significant material damage on Friday in the southeast of the country, with gusts of up to 175 km / h. Its intensity has since declined.

National television showed images of trees strewn on the roads, while residential areas were surrounded by large bodies of muddy water. In Fuzhou (southeast), the authorities on Saturday ordered residents to leave their homes only when necessary. Public transport has also been suspended in this city opposite Taiwan.

China has been experiencing extreme weather for months, exacerbated by climate change. At the beginning of July, Beijing and its region had broken temperature records, with more than 40 ° C. If cyclones, heat waves, floods or droughts are natural phenomena, greenhouse gas emissions generated by human activities increase their magnitude and/or frequency.

" READ ALSO "Without human activity, these temperatures would have been impossible"

China issues red alert for torrential rains in Beijing and evacuates thousands of residents

China issues red alert for torrential rains in Beijing and evacuates thousands of residents

Gusts up to 175 km/h

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