A sudden windstorm in Beijing transformed a routine cleaning into a terrifying ordeal. High above the city, crew members clung precariously to their cables as the CCTV headquarters swayed in the gusts.
Videos of the incident have surfaced on the internet. The clip shows raging winds sending the workers swinging wildly on their ropes, hundreds of meters above the ground. The workers were seen battling to steady themselves against the wind's fury as it whipped across Beijing.
At 234 meters tall with a vast 473,000 square meter footprint, the CCTV Tower is a prominent landmark.
See the viral video here:
Local media later reported the workers' safe rescue, a welcome end to this terrifying ordeal.
Newspaper Shanghai Daily posted on X: “High-altitude maintenance workers were seen swaying in the strong winds outside the CCTV Headquarters in Beijing's Central Business District on Thursday. Hoping for their safety.”
The China Central Television Tower rises in Beijing's central business district, within the Chaoyang District.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service issued multiple warnings as thunderstorms and strong winds lashed the capital. Gusts were accompanied by light rain, and the city remained on red alert due to scorching temperatures. Beijing wasn't alone - many parts of the Northern Hemisphere sweltered under a heat wave, with neighbouring New Delhi experiencing temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius.
China grappled with extreme weather events in 2023. The capital, Beijing, a bustling metropolis of 20 million, endured a record-breaking heatwave that scorched the city. Just weeks prior, heavy flooding ravaged southern China, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate and leaving over a million homes powerless.
The culprit in the south? Devastating floods that triggered landslides in Guangdong province. Located far south of Beijing, Guangdong boasts the title of China's most populous province, with over 125 million residents. It also borders the well-known semi-autonomous regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
