Five killed after torrential rainfall in Henan

Five people had died and another three were missing as of 7 pm Tuesday after rainstorms hit Xixia county in Nanyang city, Henan province, according to local authorities, China Central Television reported.

The towns of Taiping and Erlangping were hit by torrential downpours late on Monday, with accumulated rainfall reaching 225.3 millimeters. The sudden deluge caused destructive flash floods that damaged infrastructure.

Local fire and rescue authorities confirmed that five bodies had been recovered as of Tuesday night, with search efforts still underway for missing individuals. Over 5,700 residents have been affected, and damage assessments are ongoing.

In response, Xixia county mobilized more than 800 emergency personnel, including police, firefighters, and volunteers, along with over 40 rescue vehicles and 13 drones to restore roads, power, and communications.

CCTV quoted Ma Xiaolin, Party secretary of Taiping town in Xixia county, as saying that the authorities had evacuated 445 residents from 142 households across seven villages. The rescue team prioritized restoring power, transportation, and communication networks.

The heavy rains also prompted flood warnings across Henan, with Luoyang activating a Level IV emergency response and Kaifeng issuing a thunderstorm alert on Tuesday.