Beijing returned to normal Sunday despite drizzle after it was
hit by a sudden strong rainstorm on Saturday afternoon, which
caused collapses of five houses and injured three people in
addition to traffic jams in the downtown areas.
According to statistics from the city's anti-flood and drought
headquarters office, the rainstorm toppled 59 trees and made
4,698house leaking. Three injured people have no life danger. They
were hurt by a wire pole which fell in the rain in the Xicheng
District.
There were 137 places of roads and residence where rainwater
pooled and caused traffic jams or affected residents' activities,
according to the office.
The thunderstorm started at 4:00 pm and continued for about
three hours in the city. The storm brought an average of 23 mm
rainfall to the city, and rainfall concentrated in downtown places
and southern suburban districts of Fangshan, Daxing and Huairou.
Its maximum downpour at 106 mm occurred at the Tiananmen Square
area, according to the office.
Experts of the office however said the rainfall had little
helpfor water-starved Guanting and Miyun reservoirs, both major
water sources for Beijing, because the majority of rainfall went to
southern parts of the city while the two reservoirs are located
north of Beijing, which is suffering severe water shortage.
Lu Hao, vice mayor, has ordered the Beijing Production Safety
Bureau to inform lower production safety authorities across the
city to take proper measures to prevent accidents in heavy
rains.
Construction in the rain has been banned and workshops and small
enterprises with hidden dangers must be shut down, according to an
announcement by the Beijing Production Safety Bureau, which has so
far received no report of production accidents because of the
rainstorm.
(Xinhua News Agency July 11, 2004)