Beijing, Aug 2 (EFE).- China’s capital registered the highest amount of rain in 140 years after the passage of Typhoon Doksuri, which has left at least 11 dead and thousands of evacuees in the city, the Beijing Meteorological Office reported Wednesday.
Doksuri is among the strongest typhoons to hit China in recent years and devastated the country’s south and east last week, causing 744 millimeters of rainfall between Saturday and Monday in the Wangjiayuan Reservoir area, where Beijing recorded the heaviest rainfall.
In some districts on the outskirts of the city, where most of the casualties and damages have occurred, a large volume of rain was also recorded: Mentougou saw 580.9 millimeters and Fangshan saw 406 millimeters.
The torrential rain has caused flooding, landslides and the overflow of several rivers that have washed away roads, vehicles and homes.
The images disseminated by news and social media show scenes of chaos, with people trapped in their vehicles or in their homes.
The previous rain record in Beijing dates back to 1891, when 609 millimeters were recorded between July 23 and July 29, the institution said on its official Weibo social media account.
The first instrumental record in the Chinese capital dates from 1883, when 510.3 millimeters of rain fell between July 23 and July 29.
Doksuri made landfall Friday morning on the coast of the city of Jinjiang in the southeastern province of Fujian, with a maximum wind speed of 155 kmph to gradually weaken over the weekend and as it moved north.
Local meteorologists said the lingering effects of Doksuri would cause heavy rains in the north of the country.
In the northern province of Hebei, which surrounds Beijing, the rains had left at least nine deaths as of Tuesday. EFE
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