30 killed as rainstorms wreak havoc in Beijing

Beijing, July 29 (IANS) At least 30 people were killed in the heavy rainstorms in Beijing, the state media reported on Tuesday.

The deaths occurred in Beijing's northern mountainous districts, with 28 in Miyun and two in Yanqing, as of Monday night, the Beijing municipal flood control headquarters said.

A total of 80,332 people have been relocated across the city, and the maximum rainfall was registered in Miyun, reaching 543.4 mm, according to local authorities.

The rainstorms damaged 31 road sections and disrupted the power supply in 136 villages.

In recent days, extreme and severe convective weather brought by warm, moist air from the edge of the subtropical high has occurred in Miyun and other areas in Beijing.

At 8 p.m. Monday, the Beijing municipal flood control headquarters activated the highest level of its citywide flood-control emergency response mechanism.

Authorities in Beijing have warned the public to stay away from fast-flowing river sections, Xinhua news agency reported.

Citing safety concerns amid heavy rainstorms, Beijing's Palace Museum and the National Museum of China were also closed to the public on Tuesday.

The decision comes as authorities in Beijing issued alerts for severe rain and potential flooding, with parts of the capital bracing for torrential downpours.

Both museums announced that all pre-booked tickets will be either refunded or rescheduled.

China's national observatory also issued an orange alert for rainstorms, the second-highest level in its four-tier warning system, with this alert covering many parts of the country.

Heavy rain is expected across numerous regions, including the capital Beijing and neighbouring Hebei and Tianjin, as well as Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Shandong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi and Taiwan Island on Tuesday and Wednesday, the National Meteorological Centre forecast.

Some regions will see up to 300 mm of rainfall within 24 hours, according to the observatory.

It advised local authorities to prepare emergency response measures and remain on high alert for natural disasters such as flash floods and mudslides.

The centre also renewed a yellow alert for severe convective weather in multiple regions of the country on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Thunderstorms, gales and hail will hit areas including the northeast region, the northern region and regions between the Yangtze River and the Huaihe River, the centre said.

China has a four-tier weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

--IANS

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