Two people were killed and many automobiles were swept away by swollen rivers and flooded roads in Beijing's Mentougou District due to heavy rains since Saturday night, China Media Group reported on Monday.

On Monday, Beijing issued a red alert, the country's strongest weather warning, for flooding. Another alert was issued warning high-risk of a geological disaster, such as mudslides, in parts of the district from Monday to Wednesday at noon.

According to the Mentougou District Emergency Management Bureau, around 5,000 people were evacuated from the mountainous district of Mentougou. According to the Beijing Flood Control Office, several landslides and small-scale flash floods have occurred in the Mentougou and Fangshan districts.

On Monday morning, both airports in the capital cancelled more than 180 flights, with hundreds more delayed. Train passengers who had become stranded overnight were given food, including instant noodles, eggs and ham, and drinking water, by railway workers.

As of Monday, the rain had closed down 358 roads in Beijing. Beijing had received 13 flood control emergency complaints as of 12 p.m. Sunday, including 11 water-logged highways that had halted traffic and two geological disasters.

According to the National Meteorological Center, the duration and volume of precipitation will exceed that of the July 2012 rainstorm that hammered Beijing, killing 79 people and flooding vast portions of the city. 

Before the rain, a series of precautionary measures were carried out, including the setup of drainage and emergency equipment.

Residents of Beijing received alerts via text messages and other channels, requesting that they forgo any unnecessary outside activity on Sunday. Organized indoor and outdoor cultural, sporting, and recreational activities were put on hold during this time. All instructional activities were suspended in schools and kindergartens.

On Monday, many employees received notifications to work from home, while schools sent out similar notifications to parents of students.

Typhoon Khanun was predicted to hit China's heavily populated coast this week while Doksuri continued to weaken and taper off.

Authorities warned that Khanun could cause more harm to crops already harmed by Doksuri, including corn and other crops.

(Cover images via CFP. With input from Reuters.)

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