There are not many places in China that have measured as much rainfall within an hour as on Tuesday in the capital of Henan Province. Between four and five in the afternoon, the amount of rain in Zhengzhou reached 202 millimeters, or 202 liters per square meter. That is a third of what normally goes down in a whole year in the metropolis. There is also more precipitation than in the worst affected German flood areas within a day. The heavy rain led to dramatic scenes on the streets and in the subway of Zhengzhou. Hundreds of passengers were stuck in the tunnel for four hours while the water in their car continued to rise. Videos of people who have the brown broth up to their shoulders and who are frightened to cling to the grab handles in the subway,circulated on the Internet on Tuesday evening and startled the whole country. Most of those trapped were released during the night. But any help came too late for at least twelve passengers.
Friederike Böge
Political correspondent for China, North Korea and Mongolia.
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Some streets in Zhengzhou and surrounding cities quickly turned into raging rivers that carried cars and people with them.
The death toll was given as 25 on Wednesday evening but could continue to rise.
Chinese meteorologists speak of a millennium flood.
The military warned that a dam in Zhengzhou's neighboring city of Luoyang could burst “at any time”.
A 20 meter long fracture had previously formed.
A military unit is in the process of making explosions upstream to drain the floodwater and relieve pressure on the dam.
More than 100,000 residents were quartered in emergency shelters.
State and party leader Xi Jinping called the situation "very serious" on Wednesday.
Several dams and water reservoirs were damaged.
The most important thing now is to protect the security and property of the citizens, said Xi and called on the local authorities to "strictly" adhere to the requirements of the flood and emergency aid ordinances.
In addition, Xi Jinping, who is also the commander in chief of the armed forces, gave orders that soldiers should help with the rescue and clean-up work.
Countless calls for help on the Internet
It is unusual for China for the head of state and party to speak up so quickly and comprehensively about a disaster situation. The state media reported exclusively on the official rescue work of the fire brigade, paramedics and soldiers, while civil society organized itself on the Internet. Private helpers and companies offered accommodation, transport services and food. They responded to countless online calls for help from people trapped in the water or looking for missing people. Posts with the hashtag # Henan storm self-help were viewed more than 2.8 billion times. The small town of Gongyi at the gates of Zhengzhou, where numerous houses collapsed, was also badly affected. At least four people were killed there. In local media eyewitnesses reported about the frightening hours,spent on the Zhengzhou subway.