Rescuers operate a pump to drain rainwater out of a road in flood-hit Weihui City, central China's Henan Province, July 28, 2021. Weihui City suffered from severe urban waterlogging due to the extremely heavy rainfall. Rescue and drainage work is still in progress there. Photo: Xinhua

Central China's Henan has been buffeted with heavy rains since Friday morning with 15 townships and villages bearing the brunt of downfalls with nearly 8,000 residents being evacuated from the hardest hit regions, China's Central Television reported on Saturday. 

The ongoing rainfall has caused disruption of electricity and communication in 13 townships in Nanzhao county and two in Fangcheng county in Nanyang City. A total of 27,554 people in 11 villages in Nanzhao county had temporarily lost contact with the outside world but later reconnected. One person has been reported dead, one injured and two are missing as rescue work continues.

Many areas in Henan reported heavy rains and related disasters on Saturday. 

Two officials in Jiyuan City, northwest of the provincial capital Zhengzhou were reported missing while assisting local residents to evacuate. On Friday, several cars at a scenic park in Luoyang City were flooded by debris caused by heavy rains, the  local government is confirming whether there were people inside the vehicles.  

Henan's hydrology and water resources bureau released red alert for flooding on Saturday, warning that the rainfalls have caused water rising in many rivers in the province and calling for responsible departments and residents along rivers to remain vigilant to changing water levels. 

The previous torrential rains and floods in Henan killed 302 and caused massive economic damage. The State Council, China's cabinet, established a task force to investigate the incident on August 2.