UPDATE 3 - Military choppers deployed in China as heavy rains leave 20 dead, 19 missing

UPDATES WITH MORE DEATHS; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Chinese authorities have deployed military choppers for the search and rescue of 19 missing people, as heavy rains killed at least 20 people in the capital Beijing and northern Hebei province.

The authorities said that nine people were killed and six others missing in northern Hebei province.

Around 847,400 people were relocated to safer places in Hebei province, Chinese broadcaster CGTN reported.

In Beijing, at least 11 people were killed in several rain-related incidents while 13 others were also missing.

President Xi Jinping has directed local authorities to "minimize casualties to the greatest extent possible.”

Financial authorities have allocated 110 million yuan (15.4 million) to “combat torrential rain” in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

At least 18 provinces had issued alerts for torrential rain as Typhoon Doksuri hit China on Friday.

In several regions, the weather agency also issued a red alert, the highest in China’s weather system, only the second time since 2010 when such a system was put in place.

Two of the 11 deceased were part of the rescue and relief mission.

Beijing has witnessed average rainfall of 261.8 millimeters (10.3 inches) since Sunday.

Over 44,000 people have been severely affected across 13 districts of the capital while 127,000 people were relocated. Many parts of Beijing witnessed waterlogging and transport disruption.

Chinese meteorologists have warned of “extreme rainfall and a high risk of disaster as rainstorms swept the country's northern regions.”