Severe floods hit Typhoon-damaged Beijing

At least two people were killed in the floods, according to state media, and hundreds were trapped in their homes.

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

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

Chinese state media reported that a half-million people had been evacuated from the southeastern Fujian province. More than 31,000 people reportedly had been evacuated from the capital by Sunday night.

Many others were trapped in homes, and vehicles were stranded on roadways. Video published by Beijing Fire on the Douyin app showed firefighters wading through surging knee-high floodwaters to rescue people trapped in a car.

The storm covered more than 85,000 square miles, potentially affecting 130 million people, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Local authorities posted statements on WeChat citing several other emergencies, including landslides and small-scale flash floods.

Considered one of the most formidable storms to reach China in recent years, Doksuri’s downpour represents another extreme for a country that also experienced record heat waves in its northern provinces this summer.

Despite China’s status as the country emitting the most greenhouse gases annually, Chinese officials have been slow to enact environmental legislation, preferring to address climate change on their own terms.

Forecasters warned Monday of a second extreme storm with the strength of a Category 4 hurricane, Typhoon Khanun, which is set to batter China’s coast this week.

Khanun is the sixth typhoon projected to hit China this year.