25 Killed, over 1 Mln Affected as Floods Hit Central China

When the heaviest rainfall in 1,000 years hit China's central Henan province, at least 25 people were killed, including 12 subway passengers, prompting President Xi Jinping to dispatch the army to rescue those trapped in inundated subways, hotels, and public places on Wednesday. According to the state-run Global Times, 1.24 million (12.4 lakh) people were affected and 1,60,000 were evacuated.

Local officials were quoted by the official media as saying that 25 people were murdered and seven more were missing as a result of the huge floods. Subway stations were flooded, killing 12 people and injuring five more, according to the report. According to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, they killed after their subway train was hit by quickly rising floodwaters on Tuesday night.

A wall collapsed, killing two persons as well. The enormous floods, which meteorologists have described as a once-in-a-lifetime event, have created horrific images in Zhengzhou, the province capital and a metropolis of 12.6 million people, with its public streets and subway tunnels being swamped by rising waters.

Petrified commuters stranded on subway trains clung to handlebars urgently waiting for aid as floodwaters rose up to their necks, according to videos uploaded on Chinese social media. Videos of rescue workers assisting victims trapped in subway tunnels to safety were released by the official media.