Downpours have been battering north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region since Wednesday, triggering flash floods which left local residents stranded and disrupting traffic.
At 20:00 local time on Friday, the regional meteorological center issued its highest warning - a red alert for torrential rain, prompting emergency crews across the region to race against rising waters.
The downpour began in Tongliao City on Thursday night.
The downtown logged 80.7 mm of rainfall. The authorities dispatched personnel to check key areas including low-lying roads and underpasses.
The traffic police set up warning signs at waterlogged road sections and directed traffic temporarily.
At 20:00 on Friday, Taibus Banner in Xilingol League was pounded by a violent rainstorm.
Maximum rainfall reached 204.2 mm and flash floods and back-flow took shape in downtown areas and outlying towns.
The local flood-control headquarters immediately activated a grade-II emergency response, organizing manpower to drain flood water.
By 13:00 Saturday, traffic in the region had resumed. The rain is forecast to continue till Sunday.
"At 20:00 on Friday, we received emergency calls from residents. We rushed to the scene and, by 11:00 Saturday, we had evacuated more than 120 people," said Li Qiang, a firefighter.
On Saturday, Xiaohaizi Town in Shangdu County, Ulanqab City, was inundated when the rainwater flew backward through drainage canals, turning streets into four-meter-deep canals, leaving more than 80 households stranded.
Firefighters went to the rescue with inflatable boats and life vests and by 15:00 they had ferried 120 people to safety. Relief operations are still underway now.
Torrential rain pummels north China's Inner Monglia
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
