Beijing records heaviest rainfall in 140 years; China says 20 dead, several missing

China’s capital has recorded its heaviest rainfall in 140 years over the past few days.The city recorded 744.8 millimetres (29.3 inches) of rain between Saturday and Wednesday morning, the Beijing Meteorological Bureau said on Wednesday.The severity of the flooding took the Chinese capital by surprise. Beijing usually has dry summers but had a stretch of record-breaking heat this year.

The record rainfall comes as northern China has been deluged with heavy rains as the remnants of Typhoon Doksuri moved north after earlier hitting southern Chinese provinces.Beijing and the surrounding province of Hebei have been hit by severe flooding, with waters rising to dangerous levels. The rains destroyed roads and knocked out power and even pipes carrying drinking water.

Beijing and the surrounding province of Hebei have been hit by severe flooding, with waters rising to dangerous levels. The rains destroyed roads and knocked out power and even pipes carrying drinking water.Among the hardest hit areas is Zhuozhou, a small city in Hebei province that borders Beijing’s southwest. On Tuesday night, police there issued a plea on Weibo for lights to assist with rescue work.

It’s unknown how many people are trapped in flood-stricken areas in the city and surrounding villages.On Wednesday, waters in Gu’an county in Hebei, which borders Zhuozhou, reached as high as halfway up a pole where a surveillance camera was installed.AP journalists encountered a couple who were trying to pass through the flooded areas to rescue a relative trapped in a nearby village They declined to be interviewed.