Typhoon Doksuri: Alarming pictures show floods in China, Philippines

6 August 2023

Firefighters use a stretcher to transfer an elderly man from Shuiyuzui Village in flood-hit Mentougou District on August 1, 2023 in Beijing, China.

Storms bearing unusually torrential rain and ferocious winds this early in the north Pacific typhoon season have flooded large swathes of East Asia, with China among the countries worst hit.

In the capital of Beijing alone, the amount of rain over the past week has broken a 140-year-old record.

People in Beijing and neighbouring Hebei province fled their homes on inflatable boats and lorries as Doksuri, a former super typhoon, drenched China's north-east.

At least 10 people have died and 18 are missing, and officials have evacuated millions of people.

People stand on a front loader travelling through floodwaters after the rains and floods brought by remnants of Typhoon Doksuri, in Zhuozhou, Hebei province, China — Image caption,
People stand on a front loader after the rains and floods in Zhuozhou, Hebei province, China

Rescuers evacuate residents in a flooded area after Typhoon Doksuri landfall in Quanzhou, in China's eastern Fujian province on July 28, 2023. — Image caption,
An evacuation in Quanzhou, Fujian province, China

Rescue workers help evacuate an elderly woman after remnants of Typhoon Doksuri brought rains and floods in Beijing, China August 2, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY — Image caption,
Beijing, China

residents rest at a temporary shelter in Longquan Primary School of Mentougou district on August 1, 2023 in Beijing, China. — Image caption,
A temporary shelter in Longquan Primary School of Mentougou district, Beijing, China.

The floods damaged roads and bridges, submerged cars and destroyed construction sites.

Doksuri slammed into China last weekend and drenched the north-east for most of the week. The region had barely recovered from typhoon Talim the week prior.

Then, there's the threat of typhoon Khanun out at sea off China's east coast, which threatens to intensify rains in areas hit by Doksuri.

A view on a damaged bridge following strong rains and floods in Fengtai district, west of Beijing, China, 03 August 2023. Beijing recorded its heaviest rainfall in 140 years brought by Typhoon Dosksuri causing floods, evacuation of thousands of people and 21 deaths. — Image caption,
Fengtai District, west of Beijing, China

Cars are immersed in flood water in a neighbourhood where days of heavy rain from remnants of Typhoon Doksuri have caused heavy damage in Beijing, China, August 1, 2023. — Image caption,
Beijing, China

Aerial photograph of uncompleted residential buildings with stagnant water after rainstorm, Beihai, Guangxi, China, on August 2, 2023. — Image caption,
Uncompleted residential buildings were swamped in Beihai, Guangxi, China

In areas where the floods have subsided, residents have started shovelling mud out of their homes. The following three photos were also taken in Beijing.

Residents clean up the street in the aftermath of the flooding at a village following heavy rains in Beijing on August 3, 2023.

Men shovel mud outside a store in Mentougou District, west of Beijing, China, 01 August 2023. Heavy rains brought by Typhoon Doksuri caused floods in northern China and left two dead and thousands being evacuated as Beijing experienced its heaviest rainfall of the year.

A resident holding bottles of water as she walks back to a residential compound, after remnants of Typhoon Doksuri brought rains and floods in Beijing, China August 2, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

The waterlogged scenes also played out in the Philippines, where Khanun, Doksuri and Talim exacerbated seasonal monsoon rains.

While storm-weary Filipinos went about with as much of their daily routines as they could, the typhoons highlighted perennial problems of flooding in the capital, Manila, and its suburbs of Bulacan and Pampanga.