Beijing (dpa) – The death toll from flooding in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou hit 63 on Sunday, as people in other parts of China braced themselves for typhoon storms and potential high water.
The 9-million-strong metropolis of Zhengzhou was devastated by floodwaters last week. Some of the multi-lane roads had turned into raging rivers, with cars floating in the torrents.
The water flooded the underground rail system, where hundreds of people were temporarily trapped in trains and in tunnels.
Clean-up operations have lasted into the weekend, with the body count rising as more victims were discovered in the city’s flooded underground and tunnel system. Five people are still missing, city officials say.
The rain was a result of Typhoon In-Fa, which was now threatening other parts of China, specifically the coastal city of Zhousshan, with waves of 5 to 7 metres being reported.
Airports in Shanghai and other cities in Zheijang province have shut down due to safety concerns. All high-speed travel in the vicinity of Shanghai has been shut down through Monday midday. Disneyland and other amusement parks have been closed.
New flooding is feared as the sixth typhoon of the year nears, with worries also focused on the provinces of Jiangsu and Anhui. China has recently seen its worst rainfall in decades.