Editor's Note

The heaviest rain in six decades in the Chinese capital has left 37 people dead, Beijing authorities said Sunday.

As of 4 am Sunday, more than 30,000 residents in districts of Fangshan, Huairou, Mentougou and Pinggu as well as Miyun and Yanqing counties were relocated, the city's floods control headquarters said at 9 am.

Latest News

Death toll in Beijing downpour rises to 10: media
The heaviest rain in 61 years in the Chinese capital Beijing has left 10 people dead as of 2 am Sunday, according to a report by the China Network Television (CNTV), a national web-based TV broadcaster owned by the state-owned China Central Television.

Rains cause cancellations, delays of over 500 flights at Beijing airport
Torrential rains in the Chinese capital led to the cancellation of 229 domestic flights at the Beijing Capital International Airport as of 6:30 pm Saturday, sources with the Beijing Capital International Airport said.

Heavy rains forecast to continue in Beijing
China's top meteorological authority said that rainstorms are expected to continue into the night in the Chinese capital after heavy rains started thrashing the city around 10 am Saturday.

Highlights

	Losses: The heaviest rain in 61 years in Beijing has left 10 people dead as of 2 am Sunday, caused cancellations, delays of over 500 flights at Beijing airport as of 6:30 pm Saturday.
	Critical voice: The rainstorm spiked once again a public debate over the city’s drainage system that is ill prepared for the rainstorms.
	Togetherness: Almost 100,000 people were mobilized for rescue work during the strong rain.

Rescue Efforts

Emergency Responses

The Beijing Meteorological Bureau	The Beijing Meteorological Bureau issued its first orange rainstorm alert warning since 2005 Saturday evening as the rain is forecast to last over 20 hours till Sunday morning. Chinese meteorological authorities use a four-tier color-coded weather warning system from "blue", "yellow" to "orange" and "red". In another orange alert issued at 10 pm Saturday, the bureau forecast that several eastern suburban regions were to receive up to 70 mm of rainfall in the coming three hours.
The transportation authorities	1.    Authorities have sent out 7,000 traffic police to the city's roads to help cope with traffic problems.
	2.    About 475 flights have been canceled and 80 others delayed by more than one hour by 11 pm, according to the Beijing Capital International Airport. The airport's operation was starting to resume as the rain began to subdue.
	3.    The metro line linking the airport with the downtown area resumed operation at 10:05 pm after two and a half hours' suspension due to rain-triggered power failure. The line's service will be extended by one hour to midnight to carry stranded passengers, the metro line's operator said in a statement. Also free shuttle bus service is offered.
Local residents:	Many passersby have joined the efforts to help drag more cars trapped out of the deep waters.

Source: Xinhua

Comments

@中国国家地理: The development history of the world’s cities has shown it is a city’s underground invisible drainage system that marks a city’s real strength, its potential and inclusiveness, except for its visible brilliant prosperity.

@微博小秘书: The unexpected heavy downpour in Beijing took many people by surprise. However, the selfless efforts each person made to fight against the flood made people feel in the capital city calmer and warmer. Thanks to those who offered help. Let’s pass on the love and pray for the safety of Beijing in action. Tonight, we guard our city together!

@tiffiany2010: The air of Beijing this morning after yesterday’s downpour is clean, sunny and green. I have spent the night together with most people in Beijing far off from the capital and greeted the morning sunshine together with them too. I believe our future will be promising. Pray for Beijing and wish the people there to be safe and sound!

Recent Downpours

A child rides a bicycle at the flooded Xuanwumen crossroads in downtown Beijing, capital of China, July 10, 2012. Beijing was hit by a torrential rain on Tuesday evening. Photo: Xinhua

Firemen and villagers carry sand bags to build dams against flood in Shuangliusuo town, Heishui county of the Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 9, 2012. More than 2,500 people have been relocated after a rain-triggered mudslide blocked the Heishui River and formed a barrier lake on the river in Aba prefecture on late Monday. Photo: Xinhua

A citizen rides a motorbike on the street in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 16, 2012. As most parts of Guizhou were hit by torrential rains on Monday, the National Meteorological Center issued a blue alert on rainstorms. Photo: Xinhua

Rescuers convoy residents trapped by a rainstorm-triggered flood in the Huangpi district of Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei Province, July 13, 2012. Many parts of the Huangpi district, a suburb of Wuhan, were inundated by flood following torrential rainstorms that have struck the area for days. Photo: Xinhua