Sometimes Beijing also has too much water. Roughly 70 percent of the capital’s rainfall comes in the summer, especially in July. Agricultural and irrigation changes over centuries have left Beijing unusually vulnerable to summer flooding, with many lakes destroyed and new crops resulting in the removal of protective vegetation.

Beijing issued its highest alert for rainstorms on Monday, days after deadly deluges swept parts of the Chinese capital and triggered a rare apology from under-prepared officials. The municipal weather service announced a red alert -- the highest in a four-tier system -- forecasting heavy rain from noon on Monday until Tuesday morning.

Beijing is getting drenched by another round of heavy rain, one week after torrential downpours across parts of the Chinese capital unleashed flooding that claimed at least 44 lives.