12 killed in heavy rain, floods in central China

People pushing a van through flood waters along a street following heavy rains in Zhengzhou in China`s central Henan province. Pic/AFP

At least 12 people were killed while about 100,000 have been relocated to safe places in China's central Henan province which received the highest daily rainfall since the weather record began, state media reported on Wednesday.

Provincial capital Zhengzhou reported a record-high hourly precipitation of 201.9 mm between 4 PM and 5 PM on Tuesday, the Henan provincial meteorological centre said.

The downtown area of Zhengzhou received an average precipitation of 457.5 mm within 24 hours on Tuesday, the highest daily rainfall since the weather record began, Xinhua news agency reported.

Twelve people were killed while about 100,000 have been relocated to safe places, it said.

Henan province is home to many cultural sites and a major base for industry and agriculture. Reports said that Shaolin Temple, known for its Buddhist monks' mastery of martial arts, was severely hit by floods.

The severe waterlogging has led to the virtual paralysis of the city's road traffic. Over 80 bus lines have been suspended, more than 100 temporarily detoured and the subway service has also been temporarily suspended.

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Rainwater poured into the subway tunnel of the city's Line Five, trapping an unknown number of passengers aboard a subway train.

Police officers, firefighters and workers from the local sub district have arrived at the site for the rescue operation, the report said.

The water level inside the subway carriage is receding, and the passengers are temporarily safe, it said.

More than 160 train services were stopped at Zhengzhoudong Railway Station.

The airport in Zhengzhou cancelled 260 flights into and out of the city, and local railway authorities also halted or delayed some trains.

Affected by the rainstorms, several residential communities in the city are without tap water and electricity.

Both Henan provincial and Zhengzhou municipal meteorological bureaus have raised the emergency response for meteorological disasters to level I.

Heavy rains in Henan are expected to last until Wednesday night, according to forecasts.

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