Zhengzhou issues flood alert, orders closures amid heavy rainfall

Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province, raised its flood control alert on Thursday and ordered a citywide suspension of production, business operations, and school classes as heavy rain continued to batter the region.

At 13:20 pm on Thursday, the Zhengzhou Meteorological Service issued a red rainstorm warning, the highest in the system, reporting that some districts had already received more than 100 millimeters of rain. It warned that intense rainfall would persist for the next three hours, with isolated stations potentially recording over 150 millimeters, sharply elevating disaster risks.

The city's flood control authority upgraded its response level from IV to III at 1 pm and imposed mandatory suspensions of urban activities, including outdoor events.

Authorities were instructed to reinforce defenses at vulnerable spots, such as mountain streams, dams, and small rivers, and to strictly control access to culverts, underground spaces, and tunnels to prevent urban waterlogging.

By 2:15 pm, local traffic police had set up roadblocks and traffic controls at the hardest-hit intersections, deploying additional officers to manage hazards and guide motorists.