1st LD-Writethru: Over 1,600 relocated as rainstorm hits Beijing
Xinhua, July 17, 2015 Adjust font size:
More than 1,600 people have been relocated since a rainstorm hit Beijing on Thursday night, shortly after a heat wave lost its grip on the capital.
As of 10:10 a.m. on Friday, Beijing has relocated 1,644 people, most of whom live in the southwestern suburb of Fangshan, according to Beijing flood control office.
The average rainfall in Beijing was 38.9 millimeters. The rainfall in the Hebei town of Fangshan was 227.7 millimeters, the highest in the city. Some roads were flooded or caved in.
Beijing has lifted the yellow alert as the rain is weakening. The city uses a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe weather, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
Beijing baked under temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius from Saturday to Monday.
In July 2012, Beijing suffered its worst downpour in six decades, leaving over 70 people dead. Since then, the city government has been reinforcing flood prevention infrastructure and early warning systems to prevent similar tragedies. Endi