As parts of the world witness devastating drought and heat waves due to the climate crisis, China's Henan province, which has a population of over 100 million people, has been experiencing torrential downpours and flooding. And the capital city of Zhengzhou has seen the worst of the conditions, where one local weather commentator called it a "once in a thousand years storm.”
At least 25 people have died, including 12 who were trapped in a flooded subway train. Hundreds of trains have been halted due to the flooding, leaving people with few options but to wade (or swim) in the water-filled streets. Food shortages have also been reported across the province as Chinese authorities deploy emergency workers.
Weather disasters are inextricably linked to human-induced climate change. The planet has already warmed 2.1 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880, according to NASA, and that’s making disasters worse. Wildfire seasons are getting longer. Hurricanes are getting wetter and more dangerous. Heat waves are getting hotter, more frequent, and longer-lasting. Heavier rainfall is triggering more inland flooding. And the cost of climate disasters is soaring. Stopping this vicious cycle will require drastically reducing our reliance on climate-polluting fossil fuels.
Here's a look at the devastation the flood waters in China are causing.
View of a person trying to swim across the floodwater caused by torrential rain on July 20, 2021, in Zhengzhou, central China.
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Aerial view of the flooded main urban area in Zhengzhou on July 21.
A girl and her dog navigate the flooded roadways in central China's Henan province on July 21.
Members of the organization Bluesky rescue team prepare a raft before heading to Zhengzhou on July 21.
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Cars sit in floodwaters after heavy rains hit the city of Zhengzhou in China on July 21, 2021.
A person stands atop a bench as the rain continues to fall in Zhengzhou on July 21.
Stranded passengers queue to board a bus at the Zhengzhou East Railway Station on July 21.
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People walk in the flooded road after record downpours in central China's Henan province on July 20, 2021.
Seafood is sold out in a supermarket as many stores experience food shortages in Zhengzhou on July 21.
Pedestrians move through a flooded roadway in central China on July 20.
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People ride on a waterlogged road in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, July 20.
Aerial view of the flooded main urban area on July 21, 2021 in Zhengzhou, Henan Province of China.
People walk in the flooded road after record downpours in Zhengzhou on July 20, 2021.
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Contact Kirsten Chilstrom at kirsten.chilstrom@buzzfeed.com.
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