Typhoon 'Doksuri' Strikes... The 600-Year-Old Forbidden City Also Flooded

Typhoon Doksuri Brings Three Days of Torrential Rain After Landfall
Dozens Dead or Missing... Cars Swept Away

Typhoon 'Doksuri' has struck Beijing, China, causing severe flooding damage. Dozens of people have died or gone missing due to three days of heavy rain, and the Forbidden City has been flooded for the first time in six centuries.

In some areas of Beijing, nearly half of the cars were submerged in water.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Beijing city authorities announced that as of 6 a.m. on the 1st (local time), 11 people have died and 27 are missing due to the heavy rain. A total of 44,673 people across 13 districts have been affected, and 127,000 have been evacuated.

The city authorities have issued a 'red flood warning' for most areas within the city and repeatedly urged residents to prepare for flood and landslide damage. From the 29th of last month to the 1st, Beijing recorded an average rainfall of 257.9 mm.

In particular, Lincheng County in Hebei Province experienced rainfall reaching 994.6 mm over 48 hours. The rainfall nearly reached 1 meter.

Most vehicles submerged in rainwater. [Image source=Weibo]

On Chinese social networking services (SNS) such as 'Weibo,' videos showing various parts of the city submerged in water and dozens of vehicles being swept away by the current were shared.

The Forbidden City, a cultural heritage proudly owned by China, also suffered unusual flooding damage. Rainwater that could not drain through the drainage system rose to knee height. It is reported that this is the first time in about 600 years that part of the Forbidden City has been flooded.

It is reported that the Forbidden City in Beijing also experienced flooding damage for the first time in about 6 centuries.
[Image source=Xinhua News Agency]

According to the Chinese media 'Xin Jing Bao,' the Beijing Meteorological Observatory cited the state of the pressure system as the cause of the severe damage from the heavy rain. The observatory reported that a high-pressure system over Hebei slowed the northward movement of Typhoon Doksuri, causing it to linger longer. Typically, typhoons dissipate quickly after making landfall inland, but this time was different.

Beijing Daxing International Airport filled with water [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, Beijing is suffering from rapid climate changes, including extreme heatwaves and heavy rain. From June 23rd, the city experienced three consecutive days with maximum temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, and there have already been 28 days this summer with daytime highs above 35 degrees Celsius.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.