Henan, China’s third-largest province, which is home to roughly 94 million people, has been hit by unusually rainy storms since the weekend, according to Reuters.
By Tuesday, the rainfall caused the banks of major rivers to overflow, resulting in rapid floodwater rushing through the streets of a dozen cities. In Zhengzhou, the province’s capital that sits on the banks of the Yellow River, video footage showed subway commuters waist-deep in murky floodwater at an underground station.
More than seven inches of rain fell across Zhengzhou, forcing the city to stop all underground train services, Reuters reported. According to NBC News, the Henan Fire Department said that at least one person had been rescued from the train line as the department worked to free others.
Across Zhengzhou and in the Southwest city of Ruzhou, videos showed torrents of water running through the streets and completely submerging cars.
One video appeared to show a man trapped inside his vehicle as a wave of muddy floodwater began to submerge the entire street.
Other footage showed cars being dramatically pulled into the fast-moving flow before being completely covered in floodwater.
In a statement published on the Zhengzhou local government’s website, the city warned that the “flood control situation is grim.” The city added that the risk of disaster was “extremely high,” NBC News reported.
In a separate statement published on the government’s official WeChat account, officials warned residents to stay home or in a safe place and to remain alert for updates.
By Tuesday, more than 10,000 residents of Henan province were moved to shelters, according to the Associated Press. Wang Guirong, a 56-year-old restaurant manager, told the news outlet that the amount of rainfall in Zhengzhou was shocking.
“I have lived in Zhengzhou all my life and have never seen such a heavy rainstorm as today,” Wang said.
From Saturday to Tuesday, 3,535 weather stations in Henan saw rainfall of nearly two inches, of which 1,614 stations registered levels above three inches and 151 above nine, Reuters reported.
The rain is forecast to stop by Thursday, but many fear that the floods will continue to cause major damage. There are also fears that floodwater could threaten historical landmarks, including the Longmen Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring ancient Buddhist statues near the city of Luoyang.
Henan province is also home to the Shaolin Temple and many other cultural sites and serves as a major base for industry and agriculture.
As of Tuesday afternoon, it was not immediately clear if there have been any deaths or major injuries associated with the flooding, though videos online appeared to show people attempting to free individuals from the rapidly moving water.
