Severe thunderstorms Thursday caused the cancellation or delay of hundreds of flight into and out of the Chinese capital city of Beijing, the South China Morning Post reported. In total, 314 flights were cancelled and another 489 were delayed as thousands returned from a national three-day holiday. The summer storms also caused huge traffic jams on highways surrounding Beijing.
Simultaneously, heavy storms continue to wrack parts of southern China, creating floods and landslides that have already killed 46 people and displaced almost 240,000. Total economic losses resulting from the weather are estimated at US$395 million, and further rainstorms are expected.