Chinese residents play mahjong on the street unfazed in rainstorms

Chinese residents play mahjong on the street unfazed as their city is battered by rainstorms and flash floods

  • Four devoted fans carried on playing mahjong in downpours in Chongqing 
  • One of them donned a rain jacket while the rest sat in storms unprotected
  • Heavy rain triggered severe flooding in the municipality of 30 million yesterday
  • Southern China has been hit by continuous rainstorms in the past two weeks

Few things seem to be able to dampen people’s passion for mahjong in China.

Devoted players have been captured enjoying the popular table game on the street even when the city was being ravaged by rainstorms and flash floods.

Four die-hard mahjong fans in Chongqing appeared unfazed while entertaining each other and themselves in downpours yesterday.

But determined mahjong players chose to carry on with their game on the street

Determined mahjong players in the Chinese city of Chongqing chose to carry on with their game on the street yesterday when the city was hit by heavy rainstorms and flash floods

Aerial view of houses and farmland submerged in flood water at Mawei Town on July 10 in Fuzhou, Jiangxi Province. The southern part of China has been hit by continuous heavy rain

Aerial view of houses and farmland submerged in flood water at Mawei Town on July 10 in Fuzhou, Jiangxi Province. The southern part of China has been hit by continuous heavy rain

Footage of the unusual scene was released by Beijing-based Passion News today on its official social media account on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent to Twitter. 

In the clip, one female participant donned a raincoat while sitting next to the mahjong table. She looked relaxed and flashed a V-sign at the camera.

The other players did not wear rain jackets or use umbrellas. 

Chongqing was yesterday battered by thunderstorms which triggered severe flooding in the municipality of 30 million people in south-west China.

The video also shows residents having to drive through streets submerged in floodwaters and waiting for the bus in high winds.

About 360,000 people from 25 counties in Guangxi Province have been affected by the adverse weather condition since the beginning of July, according to Chinese state broadcaster. This picture taken on July 9 shows flooding caused by heavy rain in Rongan

About 360,000 people from 25 counties in Guangxi Province have been affected by the adverse weather condition since the beginning of July, according to Chinese state broadcaster. This picture taken on July 9 shows flooding caused by heavy rain in Rongan

More than 70 rivers along the Yangtze River region reported flooding between July 3 and 15. A woman is pictured fishing her belongings out of floodwaters on July 10 in Wuyishan, Fujian

More than 70 rivers along the Yangtze River region reported flooding between July 3 and 15. A woman is pictured fishing her belongings out of floodwaters on July 10 in Wuyishan, Fujian

The local meteorological bureau last night issued an orange alert for rainstorms, the second to the most severe level in China’s four-tier colour-coded weather warning system.

The authority had issued a lower, blue alert earlier in the day to caution residents of hazardous weather.

Experts forecast heavy rain, high winds and thundery showers to pummel the city until Thursday. Part of the city is expected to receive up to 50mm of rain in an hour.

The weather authority of Chongqing (pictured) forecast heavy rain, high winds and thundery showers until Thursday. Part of the city is expected to receive up to 50mm of rain in an hour

The weather authority of Chongqing (pictured) forecast heavy rain, high winds and thundery showers until Thursday. Part of the city is expected to receive up to 50mm of rain in an hour

The southern part of China has been hit by continuous heavy rainfalls since the beginning of July.

State broadcaster CCTV said 126 observation stations along 76 rivers in the Yangtze River region reported flooding between July 3 and 15.

While in the Pearl River Delta Region in Guangdong, 72 observation stations along 50 rivers recorded flooding in the same period.

About 360,000 people from 25 counties in Guangxi Province were affected by the adverse weather condition, said the report.

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