Rain pounds Beijing as Typhoon Dolphin sweeps through China

LUOHE, Aug 12: China's strongest typhoon this year battered the capital with bouts of intense rain that flooded key roads and stranded vehicles, while lashing wide swathes of the country, after setting new rainfall records in central and eastern provinces.
The world's second-largest economy is increasingly battling destructive weather that scientists link to climate change, especially this year, as an emerging El Niño pattern boosts temperatures and fuels more frequent and intense typhoons.
The capital declared its second-highest rainstorm warning, suspending 250 bus routes and shutting 150 tourist attractions, while 10 subway lines ran at reduced speed, the official Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday.
The downpours turned a multi-lane roadway in Beijing into a virtual river, bringing traffic to a standstill with cars and buses partially submerged, video images showed on China's Rednote.�"REUTERS