Aerial view of buildings submerged in floodwaters after heavy rains hit towns in Hunan provice.
© ReutersAerial view of buildings submerged in floodwaters after heavy rains hit towns in Hunan provice.
The extreme weather has not been limited to Henan. Beijing temporarily suspended several suburban train lines after issuing early warnings for thunderstorms and flash floods.

A small town in China's Henan province experienced an unprecedented deluge as it received nearly a year's worth of rain in just 24 hours.

The extreme weather event, part of a shifting pattern of storms moving from southern China to central and northern provinces, has put local authorities on high alert.

Dafengying, a town within the city limits of Nanyang, recorded a staggering 606.7mm (24 inches) of rainfall in a single day, as reported by national weather forecasters. This amount nearly matches the area's average annual rainfall of 800mm, highlighting the extraordinary nature of the event.



In response to the severe weather, Henan provincial authorities implemented the most stringent flood control measures for Nanyang early Tuesday. The heavy rainfall is expected to continue affecting the region where Henan, Shandong, and Anhui provinces intersect through late Tuesday.

The extreme weather has not been limited to Henan. Beijing temporarily suspended several suburban train lines after issuing early warnings for thunderstorms and flash floods. In the northwestern province of Gansu, Kang county raised a red alert for rain, warning of potential mountain torrents and urban flooding.

This sudden shift in weather patterns follows a period of drought-like conditions in northern China just a month ago, while southern provinces experienced record rainfall from April to June.

People ride a boat through a flooded
© ReutersPeople ride a boat through a flooded road after the rains and floods brought by remnants of Typhoon Doksuri, in Zhuozhou.