BEIJING, Aug. 11—China's capital is preparing for intense rainfall, with forecasts indicating more than one-third of its annual precipitation could fall within 24 hours. The deluge is expected to begin late Tuesday and continue through Thursday.
The city's meteorological service projects cumulative rainfall will exceed 100mm (3.9 inches) in six hours and more than 150mm (5.9 inches) within a 24-hour period across most areas.
Several districts—including Tongzhou, Daxing, Fangshan, Mentougou, Huairou and Fengtai—face higher totals, with cumulative precipitation expected to surpass 200mm (7.9 inches) in 24 hours.
The event is driven by moisture from Typhoon Dolphin to the south converging with cooler air masses over northern China, intensifying the rainfall.
Beijing's average annual rainfall stands at 528mm (20.8 inches), the bulk of which typically falls between June and September.
Authorities in Mentougou, a mountainous district in western Beijing, issued the highest-level flood emergency alert Tuesday, advising residents to remain indoors unless essential travel was necessary. Residents were also cautioned against visiting mountainous areas and rivers, where flash floods and landslides pose the greatest danger.
Four districts on Beijing's outskirts activated Level I emergency flood responses as the capital prepared for the rainfall.
