Heavy rain triggered mountain floods in Zhongyang County, Shanxi Province, destroying houses, roads, crops, washed away cars and stranded residents. The torrential rain, the heaviest so far this year, lasted for 13 hours, with a village in Jinluo Town suffering the highest rainfall of over 200 millimeters.         

Local authorities have initiated a level-II emergency response for flood control. Rescue operations and post-disaster restoration work are in full swing. Five highway construction workers are still missing due to the floods, said the local government, adding that search and rescue operations are underway. The local government has deployed flood-control personnel to patrol around the clock, as well as to check and judge high-risk areas as part of the precautions.