Vehicles park on a bridge to avoid risks amid flooding in Zhoukou, Central China's Henan Province on August 15, 2026. Photo: VCG

Thirteen drainage teams organized by the Ministry of Emergency Management have been sent to flood-hit Zhoukou, with a combined drainage capacity of about 220,000 cubic meters per hour, while local authorities have ordered a crackdown on price gouging in vehicle towing and repair businesses amid the flooding.

The teams, mobilized from Henan, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong and Hunan, include a natural disaster emergency rescue center operated by China Aneng Group, with all 13 teams arriving in Zhoukou by 9 am on Sunday and beginning drainage operations, the People's Daily reported Sunday.

According to the Zhoukou transport bureau's official WeChat account on Sunday, the bureau has issued a notice ordering towing and vehicle repair businesses to strictly implement price transparency and banning unreasonable price hikes.

The notice said some towing and vehicle repair businesses had taken advantage of the disaster to raise prices, demand excessive fees and fail to display prices clearly, while some repair businesses had inflated repair quotations and charged for unnecessary repairing operations, seriously infringing on the rights of affected residents.

Towing agencies must inform vehicle owners of service items, charging standards and estimated total costs before starting work, and obtain their consent. Repair businesses handling flood-damaged vehicles must accurately assess vehicle conditions, explain repair plans, parts lists and estimated costs in advance, and obtain owners' approval for any additional repairs.

Authorities said businesses must not fabricate vehicle faults, substitute inferior parts, list nonexistent repair items or arbitrarily raise repair prices. Transport law enforcement agencies will strictly investigate illegal overcharging during the disaster, with typical cases to be publicly exposed.

Zhoukou was hit by severe flooding after a section of the Jialu River embankment on the river's eastern bank breached at around 11 pm on August 13. The breach, about 30 meters wide, flooded the Zhoukou Fifth People's Hospital and a driving school. The breach was sealed at 8:29 pm on Saturday after round-the-clock efforts by multiple rescue forces.  

The region had experienced extreme rainfall in past few days due to the remnants of Typhoon Dolphin and the cold air. 

Global Times