Miyun Reservoir in Beijing begins to release water downstream in response to continuous heavy rainfall

Miyun Reservoir in Beijing, the capital of China, began releasing water downstream at 15:00 on Sunday in response to continuous heavy rainfall.

The local meteorological observatory issued an upgraded red alert for torrential rain at 21:06 on Saturday, the highest level in China's four-tier, color-coded weather warning system.

Between 12:00 on Saturday and 02:00 on Sunday, the district recorded an average rainfall of 73.5 millimeters, with the heaviest precipitation reaching 315.3 millimeters at Huangtuliang Station.

In response, the Miyun flood control and drought relief headquarters activated a Level-I emergency response to carry out rescue operations.

Due to the heavy rainfall, inflow into the reservoir rose sharply, with the peak rate reaching 6,550 cubic meters per second.

Gu Tuo, deputy director of the Miyun Reservoir Management Office, noted that the reservoir successfully intercepted all upstream flood peaks, significantly reducing flood risks.

"In order to respond to the anticipated upstream inflow to the Miyun Reservoir, we have begun gradually increasing the discharge flow rate from 80 cubic meters per second to the current 200 cubic meters per second, starting at 15:00. Regarding the Chaohe River, the discharge flow rate from the third spillway is 120 cubic meters per second, while the flow rate from the Baihe hydropower tunnel is 80 cubic meters per second," Gu said.

"Starting at 16:00, we will gradually increase the outflow to 300 cubic meters per second. After 17:00, it will continue to rise to 400 cubic meters per second. Based on downstream water conditions and gate operations, we will adjust the discharge flow rate in a timely manner. If there is significant rainfall in the area, it could lead to further large-scale rainfall and flood peaks, which would gradually raise our water level. In that case, we will further increase the water discharge," he added.

As of 15:00 on Sunday, the water level of the reservoir stood at 153.62 meters, with a storage volume of 3.2986 billion cubic meters. The highest recorded water level in the reservoir's history was 155.35 meters, observed on November 1, 2024.

Miyun Reservoir in Beijing begins to release water downstream in response to continuous heavy rainfall

U.S. economic activity rose slightly in most districts, with three regions reporting no changes and one region experiencing a moderate decline, the U.S. Federal Reserve said in its Beige Book released on Thursday.

This indicates an improvement compared to the last three reporting periods, during which most regions reported little change in economic activity, according to the Beige Book.

It shows that the outlook for future activity is mildly optimistic, with most expecting slight to modest growth in the coming months.

Most banks reported that the consumer spending went up slightly over the holiday season, buoyed by strong spending from higher-income consumers. Employment was mostly unchanged in the most recent period, with eight of the twelve districts reporting no changes in hiring. Prices grew at a moderate rate across a large majority of districts, with only two districts reporting slight price growth, the survey said.

Cost pressures resulting from tariffs were a consistent theme across all districts, it said.

The Beige Book, officially known as the Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions by Federal Reserve District, is a survey on economic conditions based on information collected from its 12 regional reserve banks. It is published eight times per year.

US economic activity shows moderate growth amid inflation pressure: Fed Beige Book