The Chinese capital recorded the largest amount of rainfall in at least 140 years in the last few days after being inundated by heavy rains from the remnants of Typhoon Doksuri.

The city recorded 744.8 mm (29.3 inches) of rain between Saturday and this morning, Wednesday, according to the Beijing Meteorological Office today.

Beijing and the surrounding Hebei province experienced severe flooding due to record rainfall, with water levels rising to dangerous levels. The rains destroyed roads, cut off electricity, and even damaged drinking water pipes. The rivers surrounding the capital overflowed, leaving cars submerged in water, while others were lifted onto pedestrian bridges.

Among the most affected areas is Chuzhou, a small city in Hebei province located on the border with southwest Beijing. On Tuesday night, police issued a social media appeal for lights to assist in rescue operations.

The number of people trapped in the flooded areas of the city and surrounding villages is unknown.

The water in Guoan county in Hebei today, which is on the border with Chuzhou, reached halfway up a pole where a surveillance camera was installed.

Liu Jiuwen (58 years old) was evacuated from his village on Tuesday evening, saying "There is nothing we can do. It is a natural disaster."

Two others were attempting to pass through the flooded areas to rescue a relative trapped in a neighboring village, and nearly 850,000 people were evacuated, according to local authorities in Hebei province.

The confirmed death toll related to the heavy rains around Beijing has risen to 21 after the body of a rescuer was recovered. Wang Hongchun (41 years old) was with other rescuers in a rubber boat when it capsized in a swiftly flowing river. Four of his teammates survived.

At least 26 people are still missing due to the rains.

The previous record for rainfall was in 1891, according to the Beijing Meteorological Office, when the city received 609 mm (24 inches) of rain. The earliest accurate measurements taken by instruments date back to 1883.

The record-breaking rainfall from Typhoon Doksuri may not be the last. Typhoon Khanun, which was hitting Japan today, is expected to head towards China later this week. The strong storm, with surface winds reaching 180 km/h (111 mph), may hit Taiwan before arriving in China.

Thousands of people have been evacuated to shelters in schools and other public buildings in the suburbs of Beijing and nearby cities. The central government is allocating 44 million yuan (6.1 million dollars) for disaster relief in the affected regions.

The severity of the flooding surprised the Chinese capital. Beijing typically experiences dry summers, but it has witnessed a record heat period this year.