Hundreds of flights were cancelled in Beijing as schools and tourist sites were shut due to torrential downpours and gale-force winds on Monday.

City authorities issued warnings to residents to stay home as the Chinese capital faced its biggest storm this year.

As much as 100 millimetres of rain is predicted through the day in some areas, and aviation tracker VariFlight recorded some 700 flights cancelled at the city's two airports.

Weather authorities warned of "extreme rainstorms" plus thunder and lightning from late Sunday to Monday evening in Beijing and neighbouring areas.

A landslide was recorded in one of the city's northern districts, with state broadcaster CCTV showing pictures of a road blocked by fallen rocks. Heavy rain was holding up efforts to clear the road, according to state TV.

Children stayed home as the city's kindergartens, primary and secondary schools closed Monday.

Popular attractions including a part of the Great Wall were also shut, with some districts suspending rural homestays.

Some of Beijing's automatic driving trains will be operated manually instead, state media said.

Rainstorms also hit neighbouring Tianjin city, where state TV showed electric scooters driving through flooded streets and black skies lit up by regular flashes of lightning.

Weather authorities have warned of floods in 14 rivers, including tributaries in Sichuan and Shaanxi.

Floods are common during China's rainy season, with higher water levels in August last year washing away roads and forcing tens of thousands from their homes.

But the threat has worsened over the decades, due in part to widespread construction of dams and levees that have cut connections between the river and adjacent lakes and floodplains that had helped absorb the summer surge.

Related Links
Weather News at TerraDaily.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Brutal storms lash Germany, Switzerland and France
Berlin (AFP) June 29, 2021
Heavy rain, giant hailstones and gale-force winds lashed parts of Germany, Switzerland and France on Monday and Tuesday, causing widespread flooding and tearing off part of the roof of an opera house. Several road tunnels were flooded and rail services were completely suspended in and around the German city of Stuttgart on Monday night, according to police and rail operator Deutsche Bahn. Video footage showed rivers of water gushing down streets and car windscreens shattered by huge hailstones. ... read more