Floods in China cost Rs. 2,500 crore loss, 'In-Fa' hurricane will hit tomorrow

(PTI) Beijing / Berlin, Dt

As Indradev became angry all over the world, torrential rains have lashed areas including Europe, India, China and Taiwan. The death toll from rain-related incidents in China's industrial province of Zhengzhou has risen to seven, and the economy has lost an estimated Rs. The loss was Rs 3,600 crore (10 billion). In addition, coastal areas in southern China and Taiwan will be hit by 'In-Fa' on Sunday evening or Monday. The current hurricane is 40 km per hour. The pace is moving towards China.

China's state media said on Friday that the death toll from the torrential rains in Henan province for the first time in 1,000 years had risen to five with five people missing. Rescue operations are still underway, including drainage in the Jingguang Road tunnel in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province. Several vehicles have been stranded here since Tuesday, the provincial emergency management department said.

China Daily quoted a local authority as saying that the direct damage to the country's economy due to the rains was estimated at Rs. 2,600 crore (4.5 billion yuan, US ૧૦ 10 billion). Public life is becoming normal in Zhengzhou. However, hundreds of people are still trapped in the floodwaters. Emergency levels have been reduced in Zhengzhou, but more heavy rains are forecast in other areas of Henan Province. According to Xinhua, more than 5,000 troops have been deployed in 10 different danger zones.

The meteorological department has forecast torrential rains in the coastal areas of Taiwan and China following Hurricane In-Fa. Hurricane In-Fa is moving towards China at a speed of 30 km per hour. It is likely to strike in Zhejiang province on Sunday afternoon or Monday morning. Emergency management has warned of the second highest level following the possibility of a hurricane. Hurricane In-Fa is expected to pass through northern Taiwan, according to the current track.

Europe, meanwhile, has been hit hard by the rains. Last week's floods in some European countries cost the national railway network an estimated Rs. The loss was 11,500 crore (1.2 billion euros, US ૧ 1.6 billion), Germany's national railway operator said on Friday. The worst affected areas are West Germany and East Belgium. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the country had suffered extraordinary damage and would take a long time to repair.

The death toll from the floods has risen to 211, including 120 in Germany and 21 in Belgium. German railway operator Deutsche Bane said more than 50 pools, 150 level crossings, about 40 signal boxes, more than 1,000 electric and signal masts as well as energy and lighting systems and station elevators were damaged.