Doksuri moves northward bringing downpours and gales to Beijing and surrounding regions, cities on guard against extreme weather

Vehicles move in the rain on a road in Haidian District, Beijing, capital of China, on July 29, 2023. Impacted by Typhoon Doksuri, the fifth typhoon of this year, heavy rainfall has hit regions in northern China, including Beijing, Hebei and Shandong. Photo:Xinhua

As Typhoon Doksuri made landfall in coastal areas of East China that has affected more than 724,600 residents, it has continued northward toward Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, bringing extreme downpours with gales that are expected to affect 130 million people on Saturday. Vulnerable regions have closed tourist sites and suspended outdoor events while advising residents to remain indoors.

At 8 am on Saturday, Doksuri weakened to a tropical cyclone as it was passing through East China's Anhui Province. Its wind force further diminished as it moved northward, and at 11 am, the China Meteorological Administration stopped issuing updates on the typhoon.

The administration adjusted the Level-I emergency response for typhoon to the Level-I emergency response for torrential rain on Saturday morning.

The remnants of Doksuri are expected to affect northern regions of the country from Saturday to Tuesday, bringing continuous rainfall in areas such as North China and the Huang-Huai region.

Among them, Beijing, Tianjin, North China's Hebei Province, Central China's Henan Province, and nearby areas are expected to experience heavy rain, with a few regions possibly facing severe downpours, especially in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area, where rainfall intensity may be even stronger, according to the administration.

It is estimated that the accumulated rainfall of over 100 millimeters will cover an area of 220,000 square kilometers, affecting a population of 130 million people.

Overall, from Saturday to Monday, , the total accumulated rainfall in Beijing is expected to range from approximately 250 to 300 millimeters, with particularly higher amounts of around 350 millimeters in the southern, western, and downtown areas. Some locations may even experience rainfall exceeding 600 millimeters, Beijing authorities said on Saturday. Strong wind gusts may accompany rainfall.

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

In response to the extreme weather conditions, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports has issued a notice saying that all indoor and outdoor sports events will be suspended during the period of heavy rainfall.

Beijing has activated Level-III flood control emergency response, with several public parks and scenic areas temporarily closed.

Videos circulating on Chinese social media platforms show tourists braving the strong winds and heavy rain at Beijing's Tian'anmen Square, and residents shopping at the Sanlitun stores despite the downpours.

On Friday Doksuri brought torrential rain in East China's Fujian and Zhejiang provinces as well as the island of Taiwan, parts of which experiencing extreme rainfall with precipitation reaching 250 to 480 millimeters.

Three national meteorological observation stations in Fujian's Putian and Fuzhou recorded daily precipitation that surpassed historical records.

Doksuri has become the strongest typhoon to hit China this year, and was also the second strongest typhoon to impact Fujian since records began.