Authorities in Beijing upgraded the rainstorm alert to the highest level on Monday after dozens recently died in the deadliest floods to hit the capital since 2012.

At 1pm, the city's meteorological service issued a red alert for rainstorms, the highest level in China's four-tier system, predicting heavy rain across the city from noon through Tuesday morning.

Up to 200mm of rain could hit parts of Beijing over a six-hour period from midday, weather forecasters warned, while most parts of the capital are expected to receive 100mm of rain.

The city of 22 million people receives on average 600mm of rainfall each year.

Beijing had seven of its 16 districts on the highest alert for heavy rainfall – Mentougou, Fangshan, Fengtai, Shijingshan, Huairou, Miyun and Yanqing – all of which lie in mountainous areas to the west and north of the city.

The risk of flash floods and landslides is "extremely high", local authorities cautioned.

Residents are urged to seek shelter during thunderstorms, avoid driving on flooded roads and stay clear of mountains and rivers.

Late last month, at least 44 people died in Beijing after days of heavy rains. Most of the dead were people unexpectedly trapped by rapidly rising waters at a nursing home in Miyun district on the city's northeastern outskirts. The fatalities led authorities to admit to shortcomings in their contingency plans for extreme weather.

In the summer of 2012, 79 people died in Beijing in the city's deadliest flooding in living memory. Fangshan district was the worst-hit, with one resident reporting a rise in floodwaters of 1.3 metres in just 10 minutes.

In Guangdong over the weekend, the bodies of five people were recovered after a large-scale search operation involving more than 1,300 rescuers.

The five people, who went missing on Friday night, were "swept away by water" following heavy rainfall in recent days. (Xinhua/Reuters)
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Last updated: 2025-08-04 HKT 16:07