The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy hospital ship, Auspicious Ark, arrived at the PLA support base in Djibouti on Tuesday morning for a technical stop as part of the "Mission Harmony-2026", its first overseas humanitarian medical mission.
The ship arrived at the base at around 07:00 local time, where it was welcomed by staff from the Chinese Embassy in Djibouti, troops stationed at the support base, and representatives from the 48th Chinese naval escort taskforce, which is conducting escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia.
During the technical stop, the hospital ship will take on fuel, food and other supplies. It will also provide medical services to personnel from both the Djibouti support base and the 48th escort taskforce.
Since setting sail on July 22, the team has conducted a series of drills, including counter-terrorism and anti-piracy exercises, helicopter flight checks, maritime medical rescue, and reconnaissance and evidence-gathering training.
These exercises are designed to enhance its emergency response capabilities and ensure that both personnel and equipment remain in optimal condition for the missions ahead.
Mission Harmony-2026, the 12th iteration of Mission Harmony since 2010, is scheduled to last over 200 days, during which the ship will visit multiple African and South Asian countries to provide free medical services to local populations.
Chinese navy hospital ship makes technical stop at support base in Djibouti
Central China's Henan Province upgraded its warning for torrential rain to the highest-level red alert at 07:30 on Wednesday as downpours continue to batter large swathes of the province.
The provincial meteorological observatory reported that maximum precipitation over the past 24 hours reached 356.9 mm in Changcun Township, Yexian County in Pingdingshan City.
From 08:00 Wednesday to 08:00 Thursday, widespread heavy rain is expected across areas north of the Huaihe River. The deluge will be accompanied by short-duration heavy downpours and thunderstorms with gales.
Henan upgraded its flood emergency response to Level II, the second-highest level, at 08:00 Wednesday, urging authorities to intensify disaster prevention, evacuate residents in high-risk areas, and ensure public safety.
Authorities have suspended classes, business operations, and non-essential outdoor activities in the affected areas, urging residents to avoid deep floodwaters and evacuate immediately if vehicles stall in water.
The National Meteorological Center renewed its orange alert for torrential rain on Wednesday, forecasting heavy rain across a broad swath of the country through Thursday morning, including Henan, Shandong and Hubei.
China has a four-tier emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe response. It also has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
Central China's Henan launches highest-level alert for rains
