Beijing had evacuated more than 70,000 residents by Monday afternoon and warned others to brace for a new round of heavy rainfall, a week after catastrophic floods killed dozens in the deadliest deluge to hit the Chinese capital since 2012.

Beijing’s terrain, surrounded by mountains to the west and north, is considered a natural rain trap, often intensifying downpours and complicating drainage. In 2012, the city recorded its worst floods in recent memory, with 79 fatalities, mostly in Fangshan district.