First the rain, then the mud: Typhoon wreaks havoc in Chinese capital

Torrential rains in Beijing and nearby areas killed 11 people and left 27 missing in the capital as Typhoon Doksuri lashed northern China for a fourth day.

Among the 11 who died were two people involved in rescue efforts, China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported on Tuesday. Twenty seven others lost contact during rescue efforts, CCTV said.

Extreme rain in Beijing on July 31 swept away cars and road signs. At least two people have been killed and hundreds are trapped in their homes. (Video: Video obtained by Reuters)

Heavy rains began on Saturday, prompting officials to issue their highest level warning alert in more than a decade and call on citizens to stay at home.

State television showed footage of the military airdropping food and ponchos to residents in the Mentougou district in western Beijing, which has been hit especially hard.

Thousands of people have been evacuated from Beijing on July 29 as flooding from Typhoon Doksuri impacted the capital and several nearby provinces. (Video: Beijing Fire via Storyful)

Typhoon Doksuri has dumped record levels of rainfall on Beijing, which does not usually see much rain.

Videos shared widely on social media on Monday showed fast-moving water rushing through the city. Churning, muddy waves threatened to sweep over bridges. Streets were deserted, with few willing to risk the torrential downpour and floodwaters.

With winds reaching around 150 mph, Doksuri was designated a “super typhoon” last week. It drenched the Philippines, killing more than a dozen people.

China’s National Meteorological Center on Sunday issued a rare red alert for the capital, China’s highest extreme-weather warning, as millions braced for heavy rainstorms in the coming days.