Beijing, Aug. 1, (dpa/GNA) – At least 20 people have died in the Chinese capital Beijing and the neighbouring province of Hebei after unusually heavy rainfall, officials reported on Tuesday.
Chinese state media reported at least 11 deaths in Beijing on Tuesday and nine more victims were reported in Hebei, which surrounds the capital.
The extreme rainfall was a consequence of tropical storm Doksuri. The weather bureau of the Chinese capital had declared the highest rain warning level since Saturday evening and advised the population not to go outside. Since then, it has rained almost continuously.
Videos showed streets turned into raging rivers with masses of mud, and parked cars being swept away. A bridge collapsed under the torrent of water. The rural outskirts of the capital were particularly affected.
The Chinese People’s Daily reported that more than 100,000 people had to be moved to safer areas.
Doksuri had previously hit the Chinese coastal province of Fujian as a typhoon and weakened into a tropical storm on its way inland, although it brought extremely heavy rain.
GNA