SIMIC

Multiple rail routes and highways through the province were cut off due to extreme weather which has caused 33 deaths, while a large number of air flights were cancelled. The record rainfall across the province swept through cities and villages.

Due to extreme torrential rain and subsequent flooding, a total of 29 sections of 26 highways in Henan were closed temporarily. In addition, eight national highways and eight provincial-level highways in Henan were cut off, the Ministry of Transport said.

Multiple north-south, east-west bound high-speed railways and normal-speed railways including routes between Zhengzhou and Luoyang in Henan Province, and railways connecting Lanzhou and Lianyungang respectively in Northwest China's Gansu Province and East China's Jiangsu Province, were significantly damaged by flooding, according to China Railway.

The country's rail authorities have taken measures including limited running speed and suspending operations to ensure safety and services. Meanwhile, they have organized railway staff to offer food and beverage to stranded passengers, according to China Railway.

Besides severe impact on land transport, the rare torrential rain also affected air transport to the large manufacturing hub. A total of 660 inbound and outbound flights at the Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport were cancelled, accounting for about 70 per cent of total flights, according to flight information platform VariFlight.

China Southern Airlines cancelled a total of 157 inbound and outbound flights to the airport.