Typhoon Doksuri wreaks havoc in China, forcing mass evacuations

Beijing: Typhoon Doksuri unleashed its fury upon China, leaving tens of thousands evacuated from flood-prone areas in Beijing as heavy rains lashed the capital on Sunday.

The powerful storm, one of the strongest to hit the country in years, has caused devastation after battering the Philippines and Taiwan before hitting China's coast.

Since Friday, when it made landfall in southern Fujian province, the deadly storm has been sweeping northeast over China. A large area, including Beijing, faces a medium to high risk of rainstorm disasters over the next three days, according to China's national forecaster.

The capital and surrounding regions experienced relentless downpours over the weekend, raising concerns about potential floods, river surges, mudslides, and landslides.

More than 27,000 people in high-risk areas of Beijing have been evacuated, and an additional 20,000 were relocated from parts of Hebei's capital, Shijiazhuang.

As the storm continues inland, cumulative rainfall of 100mm (4 inches) or more is expected over an extensive area, affecting approximately 130 million people.

Doksuri’s intensity continues to weaken but the impact is far from over,” the China Meteorological Administration said, warning the public to be vigilant and avoid high-risk areas in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regions where localised rainfall could reach 600mm (two feet).

Northern China, including Beijing, remains under a red alert - the highest level - for heavy precipitation through at least Monday afternoon.

The situation in Beijing remains critical, and authorities have advised residents to stay indoors unless necessary.

The usually bustling streets are empty, and popular sites, such as the Forbidden City, libraries, and museums, have temporarily closed. The National Centre for the Performing Arts also cancelled performances scheduled for Sunday.

Doksuri, initially categorized as a super typhoon, caused significant damage as it hit China's southeast on Friday, bringing colossal waves and howling winds of up to 175 kilometers per hour (110 miles per hour). More than 880,000 people in Fujian province were affected by the storm.

In the wake of Doksuri, social media posts showed emergency workers clearing fallen trees and landslides, and people wading in thigh-high floodwaters, which continue to pose a threat in various regions.

Beijing's flood control department has mobilized a significant number of rescue personnel, with thousands of evacuations already undertaken.

This year, Doksuri is the most powerful typhoon to strike China, second only to Typhoon Meranti in 2016 to hit the southeastern province of Fujian. As China grapples with the impact of this devastating storm, climate scientists are attributing extreme weather events to climate change.

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