Out of the Flood

Before the torrential rain hit the city, Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province in central China, has seldom been associated with flooding.

But unprecedented heavy rain poured on July 20, and within an hour from 4 to 5 p.m. the city saw 201.9 mm of precipitation, the highest hourly amount ever recorded in China.

The downpours wreaked havoc in the city. Many parts of the city were inundated in the flood and cars were seen floating down streets, carried away by the torrents. Water poured into the subway line, stranding subway cars and passengers. Water