Beijing is once again facing heavy rain just a week after devastating floods struck the city, causing at least 44 deaths. On Monday afternoon, the city’s meteorological agency raised its rainstorm warning to red—the highest alert—after earlier setting it at orange. Some areas could see more than 200 millimeters (about 8 inches) of rain in just six hours, increasing the chances of landslides.
The most intense rainfall is expected to begin around 6 p.m. Monday and last through the early hours of Tuesday. This heavy rain comes from a rare clash between low and high-pressure systems in the atmosphere. The ground in much of Beijing, especially in mountainous suburbs, is already soaked from last week’s storms, with soil moisture saturated up to 50 millimeters deep, making the land prone to flash flooding.
Local authorities have warned residents to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary. Schools in the city have canceled in-person classes as a precaution.
Other parts of northern China, including Hebei province and Tianjin, are also expecting heavy showers until Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, areas along China’s southern coast are dealing with heavy rains brought on by the southwest monsoon.
Last week’s floods caused severe damage across Beijing, including in the Miyun district, where vehicles were left badly damaged. With this new round of storms, officials are on high alert, urging people to stay safe and prepared for more flooding in the coming days.