After the typhoon, floods arrive: thousands evacuated from their homes in Beijing

Thousands have been evacuated from their homes in Beijing following the remnants of Typhoon Dolphin, which brought heavy rains. Authorities closed attractions, evacuated tourists and the elderly, and suspended bus and metro lines. An orange rainstorm warning remains in effect.

Thousands of people have been evacuated from areas at risk of flooding and landslides in Beijing, as remnants of Typhoon Dolphin continue to bring torrential rains to northern and central China. Forecasters warned on Tuesday that the capital could see more than 150 mm of rain in 24 hours, and in some provinces more than 200 mm—more than a third of the average annual precipitation of 528 mm. Beijing remained under an orange rainstorm warning, the second-highest level, on Wednesday, with the heaviest rains expected in the morning. Authorities closed hundreds of tourist attractions and campsites, evacuated more than 1,300 tourists, relocated over 5,000 elderly people from care facilities, and moved about 1,800 people living near construction projects in mountainous areas or along riverbanks. The rain disrupted traffic: 250 bus lines were suspended and trains ran at reduced speeds on 10 metro lines. Typhoon Dolphin, the strongest to hit China this year, weakened after making landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday, but its remnants continue to draw tropical moisture. The neighboring province of Hebei was also on alert for floods and landslides, sending 623 teams to mountainous areas and equipping more than 2,100 villages with satellite phones.