2016年CRI Torrential rain hits Beijing, disrupts traffic（在线收听）

Heavy rainfall rarely seen in past years started in China's capital early on Wednesday complicating commuting especially during rush hour.

"I got totally wet when I went to work in the morning. I had to change my clothes."

The municipal meteorological authority raised its storm alert to orange in the afternoon.

It's the second-highest in the nation’s four-tier warning system.

The average precipitation in the city neared 176 mm, with the maximum of close to 420 mm recorded in the suburban district of Fangshan.

The city's railway bureau said at least 60 trains from the city have been canceled, while at least 13 more trains have had to return to their point of departure.

The air travel service has also been disrupted. By 8:00 p.m., close to 240 flights had been canceled at Beijing Capital International Airport due to the rain.

"We came to Beijing on holiday. Flights were cancelled due to the bad weather today, so we came to the airport earlier to wait for the flight status. So far I haven't received any information."

On Wednesday afternoon, 13 waterlogged road sections in downtown Beijing had been temporarily closed to traffic. More than 3,000 workers were dispatched to clear away the water.

More than 160 bus routes were affected, with services suspended on 14 of them.

The municipal flood control office issued a statement, urging residents to limit travel, take public transport, and stagger commutes after work.

No casualties were reported in the capital during the constant downpours.

Some locals spoke positively of the improved urban infrastructure.

"The government took the flood control project seriously. It did improve. Although there was some traffic congestion today, it was good in general."

In Tianjin, heavy rain also hampered transportation with close to 190 flights cancelled on Wednesday.

Average precipitation in the downtown area of Tianjin exceeded 218 mm over the past two days.

The governments of Shenyang City and Dalian City in northeast Liaoning Province have ordered all schools and kindergartens to stay closed on Thursday due to the storms.

The National Meteorological Center on Wednesday also maintained its orange alert for rainstorms across the country.

Torrential rain has also been forecast for large parts of northern and central China from Wednesday to Thursday.

The latest round of rainfall this week has claimed three lives in Shanxi, two in Henan and another in neighboring Hebei, where 34 others are still unaccounted for.

The National Meteorological Center advised people living in the affected areas to prepare for possible floods, landslides and mud and rock flows, and those that live in mountainous areas to move to safety.

For CRI, this is Liu Yuanhui.