Nature
2023.07.31 16:15 GMT+8

Doksuri continues to batter northern China; new typhoon already on the way

Updated 2023.07.31 16:50 GMT+8
CGTN

Thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes in Beijing as the remnants of Typhoon Doksuri dumped record rainfall on the city and grounded flights on Monday, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The following video was taken by a Beijing resident on Monday.

Doksuri is one of the strongest storms to hit China in years and caused widespread flooding over the weekend in the southern province of Fujian, driving hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.

Before landing in China, the typhoon swept across the Philippines, killing at least 25 people, according to CNN citing the country's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Heavy rain continued to soak Beijing as well as Hebei, Tianjin and eastern Shanxi as Doksuri dissipated over northern China, the China Meteorological Administration said.

Average rainfall in Beijing from 20:00 Saturday to 13:00 Monday reached 176.9 mm, with the maximum recorded rainfall in Fangshan area hitting 580.9 mm, according to the city's observatory.

The observatory kept a red alert - the highest warning - for heavy rainfall in place while the Beijing Hydrology Station upgraded its flood warning, forecasting even more rain and river flooding.

Doksuri landed in east China's Fujian Province on Friday, and weakened to a tropical cyclone on Saturday after causing widespread flooding and driving hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.

Typhoon Doksuri triggered water-logging in Fuzhou City, east China's Fujian Province on July 29, 2023. /VCG

The remnants of Doksuri are expected to continue in the northern regions of China till Tuesday.

Authorities warned residents especially in mountainous areas that heavy rainfall can lead to secondary disasters such as flash flooding, landslides, rockfalls, and dangerous debris.

Beijing announced nine measures including calling for residents to remain at home from Saturday to Tuesday. All the scenic spots across the city, including the Palace Museum and the Yonghe Lama Temple are closed until Tuesday due to safety concerns. 

While Doksuri continues to taper off, forecasters warned that typhoon Khanun is approaching and is set to strike China's densely populated coast this week, especially Zhejiang Province.

Authorities said Khanun could inflict further damage to corn and other crops that have already been hit by Doksuri.

(All images via CFP, with input from Reuters and Global Times. Xu Wen also contributed to the story)

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