China's National Meteorological Center issued a consecutive yellow alert for rainstorms on Friday, as heavy rainfalls have been sweeping northern and eastern China, with some areas in north China's Hebei Province experiencing torrential rains.
This round of widespread rainfall primarily affects the north and northeast provinces and regions of Inner Mongolia, Jilin, and Hebei, southwest China's Sichuan, and Beijing municipality. In Hebei, Yixian County of Baoding City and Xinglong County in Chengde City logged rainfall over 200 mm, with the maximum rainfall recorded in Renyizhuang Village of Yixian, reaching 456.4 mm.
In Inner Mongolia, many areas experienced intense rainfall, with precipitation over 180 mm, coupled with thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail.
Severe urban flooding hit Jungar Banner and Otog Banner of Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, on Thursday. For safety concerns, traffic police set up detour signs in heavily flooded areas and assisted stranded vehicles in leaving low-lying zones.
"In response to the heavy rainfall, we deployed flood control vehicles and water pumps to drain water in flood-prone areas, and placed sandbags and water barriers in low-lying residential communities to prevent water backflow," said Hai Ying from the public service center of Otog Banner.
In addition, urban floods also affected Fengzhen City and Ulanqab City. Local rescue forces dispatched teams to the affected areas to carry out rescue operations and evacuate trapped residents.
In Hebei, the local meteorological center leveled up its rainstorm alert to orange level on Friday, and issued a red alert for mountain floods.
According to the forecast, some areas in Chengde, Baoding, and Langfang Cities will experience rainfall from 60mm to 90mm, with the maximum reaching over 120mm.
Hebei's meteorological disaster response department upgraded its emergency response for major meteorological disasters of heavy rain to Level III at 6:00 a.m. Friday.
Heavy rain hits north, east China, triggering alerts, emergency responses
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
