Typhoon Co-May unleashed torrential rains across east China's Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu and Anhui, disrupting transportation and prompting rainstorm alerts.
Co-May, the eighth typhoon of this year, made landfall for the second time in East China's Shanghai municipality on Wednesday afternoon after it made landfall in Zhejiang province in early Wednesday morning, according to the Shanghai central meteorological observatory.
On Thursday, heavy rain suddenly hit many areas in Shanghai, with the rainfall exceeding 50 millimeters within an hour, causing water to pool in residential areas and flood roads.
At a crossroad in Putuo District, the water depth reached 60 centimeters, stranding nearly 10 vehicles. Responding to the alarm, firefighters quickly arrived to rescue trapped individuals and clear the vehicles.
In Chongming District, heavy flooding drenched several homes, requiring firefighters an hour to pump out the accumulated water. Though Co-May further weakened into a tropical depression on Thursday afternoon, rainfall is still expected to continue in Jiangsu and Anhui until Sunday, with a Level-IV emergency response for flood control activated for Anhui on Thursday.
China's national observatory on Friday continued to issue a yellow alert for rainstorms.It is expected that in the next two days, some areas in the southern and eastern parts of Anhui Province, as well as the central, northern and southwestern parts of Jiangsu Province, will experience heavy rainstorms.
Additionally, some areas in the southwestern part of Guangdong Province, the southeastern coastal areas of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and the southern part of Taiwan will also experience heavy rainstorms.
Typhoon Co-May unleashes torrential rains across east 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
