Beijing Braces for 150 mm Rain, Evacuates Residents from High-Risk Areas

Beijing intensified its flood-control measures on Tuesday as red rainstorm alerts remained in force in several districts, with authorities warning of torrential rainfall, urban waterlogging and landslides.

The Beijing meteorological service issued an orange rainstorm alert, while Fangshan, Daxing and Tongzhou districts issued the highest-level red alerts, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The capital activated a Level II flood-control emergency response, the second-highest level, as forecasts indicated more than 150 mm of rain could fall across Beijing through Thursday.

Under China’s four-tier, colour-coded weather warning system, red represents the most severe alert, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

Authorities ordered evacuations from high-risk areas by Tuesday evening and announced a suspension of construction work. Mountain campsites and scenic areas were to remain closed. From Wednesday, employers were encouraged to adopt flexible or staggered working hours, while schools may suspend classes and in-person training depending on weather conditions. Organised outdoor sports activities were also to be halted.

Beijing’s drainage authorities placed 252 flood-control teams on standby. Preparations were strengthened at 368 subway stations, 33 hospital campuses and 17 elderly care facilities, including the installation of flood barriers.

In Fangshan, where exceptionally heavy rain has been forecast, officials began evacuating residents from vulnerable areas and deployed emergency rescue teams and supplies. More than 150,000 emergency equipment and material items were kept on standby.

The heightened response followed Typhoon Dolphin, the 13th typhoon of the year, making two landfalls in Zhejiang province on Sunday.

China’s National Meteorological Centre on Tuesday maintained an orange rainstorm alert, forecasting heavy rain across several regions through Wednesday afternoon, including Zhejiang, Shanghai, Shandong, Beijing and Tianjin.

The weather system has also triggered large-scale evacuations elsewhere. In Fujian province, about 167,900 people had been evacuated from vulnerable areas on land and at sea. By late Sunday, Shanghai had evacuated around 215,600 people from areas considered at risk, Xinhua reported.

Officials urged residents to monitor alerts and avoid unnecessary travel during severe weather conditions.