XINGTAI CITY, China (CCTV) — Rainstorm swept across north China on Wednesday and Thursday, injuring people and causing havoc in the cities.
In Handan city of north China’s Hebei Province, an old tree was uprooted due to the strong winds. Another tree broke apart and fell on to a car, injuring seven pedestrians.
In Xianghe County, a fifty-meter long drain was destroyed by the flood. Local middle and primary schools were forced to close on Tuesday for safety concerns and are scheduled to reopen again next Monday.
In Xingtai city, traffic came to a standstill because of the heavy rain, causing delays for many residents in the city.
Xingtai’s weather department has issued a safety alert. They forecast that heavy rain will hit many areas in Hebei, including Zhangjiakou, Chengde, Shijiazhuang, and Xingtai on Thursday and Friday.
In Tangshan city, heavy rain flooded the city, and in some areas, the water was one meter deep. The heavy flooding had submerged many vehicles and trapped local residents. Firefighters were forced to use canoes to rescue the trapped residents.
On Wednesday, Baoji city of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province was hit by hail. Local authorities issued a safety alert to all residents.
Beijing also saw heavy rain on Thursday which severely affected traffic. Several road sections became heavily congested. The local traffic police are currently out on the roads trying to ease traffic congestion.