Northern China braces for heavy rains as Bavi nears

About 100,000 people have been evacuated in Beijing in preparation for heavy rainfall, state media reports

Localities across northern China are bracing for heavy rains, shutting parks and lowering water levels in reservoirs, as the powerful Typhoon Bavi continued to send moisture northward.

● Bavi, which is forecast to make landfall around the eastern Chinese city of Wenzhou late on Saturday or early Sunday, is shaping up to be one of the strongest typhoons to affect the country in years.

● The typhoon is bringing heavy downpours on Friday and over the weekend to regions beyond the expected landfall zone, putting northern provinces and regions including Hebei, Beijing, Shaanxi and Liaoning on alerts for rainfall and flooding.

● In the capital Beijing, close to 100,000 people had been evacuated as of Friday afternoon in preparation for heavy rainfall, state media reported.

● Fushun, a city in northeastern China, asked local education departments to ensure that all tutoring institutions remain closed on Saturday.

● In regions including Beijing, Hebei and Inner Mongolia, public venues, parks and other outdoor tourist sites announced closures on Friday, citing risks from extreme weather.

● Water discharge from Beijing's Miyun Reservoir has been bumped up to 205 cubic metres per second from around 135 cubic metres per second since Thursday morning to free up more space for flood control, local media reported on Friday.