24 Jul 2012

Beijing flood toll rises

6:19 am on 24 July 2012

The official death toll from weekend's floods in the Chinese capital Beijing has risen to 37. Seven people are still missing.

Beijing city government said 25 drowned, six were crushed in collapsing homes, five electrocuted and one struck by lightning.

More than 500 flights were cancelled at the capital's international airport

The storm started on Saturday afternoon and continued late into the night.

The city government on Sunday issued a warning on its website for people to prepare for further bad weather:

''Weather forecasters say that from late July to early September this city is prone to flooding, and there could be further large-scale storms or extreme weather.''

However, the ABC reports the official pollution index registered ''excellent'' on Sunday, with the air noticeably free of its normal acrid smell.