Relief work underway as heavy rain hits several regions across China

Local authorities in several parts of east and central China are mobilizing all resources for emergency flood control and rescue operations as recent heavy rains have battered provinces such as Jiangxi, Anhui, Hunan, and Hubei.

On Thursday, heavy rainfall occurred in many areas of east China's Jiangxi Province, prompting the province to activate Level-IV emergency response measures.

Many places have managed pre-releases from several reservoirs to make room for expected inflows.

In east China's Anhui Province, Hefei, Lu'an, Wuhu, Xuancheng, Tongling, Chizhou, Anqing, and Huangshan experienced heavy rainfall, with some areas facing severe downpours.

So far, the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters have activated the Level IV emergency response for flood control in these eight cities.

Heavy rainfall battered parts of central China's Hunan Province starting the wee hours of Thursday, causing waterlogging and prompting the evacuation of local residents.

Torrential downpours hit Zhangjiajie and Changde cities in Hunan, and extremely heavy rainfall was reported in parts of Cili County of Zhangjiajie and Taoyuan County of Changde, which led to waterlogging.

Heavy rainfall in Shejiaping Town, Taoyuan County, led to waterlogging by early morning on Thursday. Local authorities organized the evacuation of residents in at-risk zones.

As of 5:00 pm on Thursday, over 5,400 people have been transferred, and over 3,500 disaster-affected people have been relocated in Taoyuan County.

On Thursday, in response to heavy rainfall, railway authorities implemented temporary suspensions for nine trains passing through Longshan County in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture.

After the trains were suspended, Longshan North Station promptly broadcasted the information about the train suspension and delay through station announcements and electronic display screens.

In addition, the station opened additional counters and arranged for staff to guide passengers in processing refunds or ticket changes, aiming to minimize passenger delays to the greatest extent.

"Although my trip was delayed, the service at the station was very thoughtful. Staff here has provided patient service, which makes us passengers feel much more at ease," said Liu Rui, a passenger.

Torrential rains pounded many places in central China's Hubei Province on Thursday. The downpour triggered floods across the provincial capital Wuhan, submerging major roads during the busy afternoon.

"We are implementing the two-shift system, with each shift lasting nearly eight hours, to carry out drainage work," said Chen Zongfu, head of the drainage team at Wuhan's Qiaokou District Water Affairs and Lakes Bureau.

Relief work underway as heavy rain hits several regions across China

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media