Flooding displaces 10,000 around China as Beijing gets a relative respite

Heavy flooding has displaced thousands of people around China as the capital had a relative respite from sweltering heat.
Beijing reported 9.8 straight days when the temperature exceeded 35 C, the National Climate Center said Monday.
Such a streak was last recorded in 1961 – decades before most Beijing residents had air conditioning or even fans.
A lack of rainfall may be contributing to the heat, with the typically dry capital receiving even less than usual this year.
While temperatures have since moderated – Monday’s temperature at midday was 33 C – they are expected to rise again this week to as high as 39.6 Celsius in Beijing and other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, more than 10,000 people were urgently moved to safety due to flooding in the central province of Hunan.
Around 70 houses collapsed, 2,283 were damaged and farm fields were flooded. Losses so far have been estimated at least $79 million.