China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Tuesday upgraded the flood control emergency response in Beijing to Level-III and activated a Level-IV response for flood control in neighboring Tianjin and Hebei Province, as heavy rain is expected.

Two working groups have been sent to Beijing and Hebei to support flood prevention and disaster relief efforts, the Ministry of Emergency Management said. 

According to weather forecasts, parts of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region will experience heavy to torrential rain starting Tuesday, with some areas in Beijing and Tianjin, as well as central and northeastern Hebei, expecting intense downpours.

For more: Explainer: China's 4-tier emergency response system

(Cover: Jinshanling Great Wall in Chengde, Hebei Province, north China, August 17, 2025. /VCG)