More rain to pelt Beijing

BEIJING - Beijing on Wednesday morning issued an alert for geological disasters as a rainstorm is forecast to soak the capital from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday morning.

At 9:25 am, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Land and Resources and Beijing Meteorological Bureau jointly issued the yellow alert for possible geological disasters of mud-slides, cave-ins and landslips in mountainous areas in the districts of Fangshan, Mentougou, Huairou, Pinggu and Shijingshan, as well as Miyun county.

The yellow alert is the third highest warning level in China's five-tier color-coded geological disaster warning system.

According to latest meteorological data, from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday morning, Beijing will receive heavy rains with average precipitation of 30 to 50 millimeters, said Zhang Linna, chief forecaster of Beijing Meteorological Station.

The eastern part of Beijing will receive rainstorms with average precipitation of over 50 millimeters, said Zhang.

A massive downpour, the worst to hit the city in 61 years, battered Beijing on Saturday, leaving 37 people dead and causing significant damage.

At 11:50 am, Beijing Meteorological Station released a blue alert for the rainstorm, the lowest warning level in China's four-tier color-coded weather warning system.

Affected by Saturday's rainstorm, the soil water contents in Beijing's mountainous areas are saturated, which could lead to floods and geological disasters, said Sun Jisong, chief forecaster of Beijing Meteorological Bureau.

Beijing has entered into its main flood period, which is featured by concentrated heavy rains and rainstorms.

Zhang Linna said Beijing is expected to brace for another round of substantial rainfall from Friday to Saturday.