Beijing weather disaster -- condolences!

Quick shout-out to all of our MCM members in Beijing with hopes that you've all weathered the torrents safely, with no harm to kith or kin. Condolences for anyone's losses!

A bit worried about vehicles parked underground. In the underground parking garages of my building in Beijing there are giant steel storm doors that seem to be there precisely for heavy flooding, but in memory I never saw them tested. Would be ironic if no one knew how to use them.

Was anyone actually out riding in this deluge? What a whopper of a storm!

Everyone safe?

cheers!

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Originally Posted by euphonius

Was anyone actually out riding in this deluge? What a whopper of a storm!

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I went out with my GF (her first ride on her new - or better: my old - JH150GY-3) to Changping on Sat morning. When we left, all our neighbors were already talking about heavy rain and the drainage system of our courtyard area was cleaned as pre-emptive measure. When we left BJ around 10 a.m. it started drizzling and until we reached our destination, a japanese style batth house in the mountains north of Changping, the drizzle had turned into rain. The rain continued but we spent the afternoon well protected in our hot tub and feasting on delicious chinese food. We had the impression that it was raining pretty long but not exceptionally strong. Yesterday, we returned to Beijing under blue sky along some small mountain roads and it dawned upon us that the weather must have been much worse in other areas of the city because we had to cross two mudslides, one stretch of flooded road and quite some mud in general.

When we came back to our neighborhood, there was shoveling and cleaning all around. Apparently, all neighbors had water coming into their houses, either through the roof or from underground. Unfortunately, also our roof gave into the downpour. All electronics were safe but my whole desk was flooded and all documents and literature on it was soaking wet :sad:

All my friends seem to be safe. Have not heard of any other MCM member how they fared.

This summer XJ has been hit with more storms than usual and hail storms at that.Even the locals say this is unusual.Alot of damage to crops,people,cars ,machinery etc etc although it is hard to find out how much damage.

When watching the Chinese dock with their space station on TV with friends.They said to me "Can the Americans do that"

I said yep been doing if for about 20-30 years and they have since worked out that spending their money would be better used on programs back here on Earth.

Chinese friends said "like what" I said well one is they have improved their weather warning capabilities something China needs to do.

I see some people in Beijing are asking why they didn't get better warnings on this storm in XJ you get virtually no warnings of storm fronts.

The damage bill for these hail storms in XJ must be very large.Get ready for tomato and cotton prices to rise in China and Russia.

Thanks Euph. Everyone I know, along with their bikes, are fine. At least, I haven't heard otherwise.

Very serious flooding next to me, including a death (drowning from being trapped in a car at Guangqumen bridge).

I had some friends visiting, and although we saw the torrential rain outside, the only thought was for people to take the subway home (about 8:00 PM) instead of riding their scooters (left safely in my basement garage). In my case, there wasn't really any indication of how serious it was, until I heard from one of my friends after her arrival back home - she was in a state of near panic, as she had left the subway station near her home only to be confronted by waist deep water next to her home (another place that was "in the news" ... showing people being rescued off a double decker bus).

I've heard that the mountain roads have varying degrees of damage.

It seems there is a lot of criticism about inefficient forecasting.

But what's this about a new bike for Fahni? Didn't see that one coming, either!

I found loads of stranded cars in the North of BJ on Sunday. Had to turn around on 2 mountain roads (totally different areas though), one totally blocked by a big piece of rock, the other totally blocked by mud/rocks. Lots of places where some mountain water was still streaming over the road, one location where the whole road was like a river (just water, no mud). Lot of collapseed guard rails, probably due to washed away mud/sand around its foundation. 1 road that probably had the sand beneath the asphalt washed away at a few places, looked like big piece of wet cardboard had been layed down over an uneven surface.

But what a great day I had on sunday, great weather and 450 km of fun :lol8:

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Originally Posted by Barry

I found loads of stranded cars in the North of BJ on Sunday. Had to turn around on 2 mountain roads (totally different areas though), one totally blocked by a big piece of rock, the other totally blocked by mud/rocks. Lots of places where some mountain water was still streaming over the road, one location where the whole road was like a river (just water, no mud). Lot of collapseed guard rails, probably due to washed away mud/sand around its foundation. 1 road that probably had the sand beneath the asphalt washed away at a few places, looked like big piece of wet cardboard had been layed down over an uneven surface. But what a great day I had on sunday, great weather and 450 km of fun :lol8:

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LJH: I was not shy about the new bike: http://www.mychinamoto.com/forums/sh...ressions/page7 but then again: it is just the same old JH150GY-3. I will write on how it compares to my old one (now my gf's), soon Was out at Baihe yesterday, working on my mission of finding BEijings perfect camping spot (I think, I got pretty close) and there was nothing unusual along the roads there...