Beijing renews yellow alert for rainstorms

Beijing: Beijing Meteorological Observatory renewed a yellow alert for rainstorms at 2:55 p.m. local time on Tuesday, warning of heavy rainfall and secondary disasters in the city.

There has already been heavy rainfall in Beijing since Tuesday morning, Xinhua news agency reported.

Due to the impact of new rain clouds, the rainfall will intensify again from the afternoon to Tuesday night. Most parts of Beijing will see cumulative rainfall exceeding 100 millimetres, with some areas in Huairou, Miyun and Pinggu districts reaching over 250 millimetres.

Secondary disasters such as flash floods, mudslides and landslides may occur in mountainous and hilly areas, while low-lying areas may experience waterlogging. Citizens have been requested to take precautions.

The average rainfall in Beijing registered 70.8 millimetres from 0 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, with the highest level of 266.1 millimetres recorded in Dongshaoqu of Miyun, data shows.

In response to the upcoming rainfall, the municipal emergency management bureau advised citizens to keep updated with weather warnings, reduce travel, and use public transportation if needed. The public should avoid disaster-prone areas, high-voltage lines, river channels, low-lying areas and outdoor activities.

China has a four-tier, colour-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.