Spirits rise as floods subside

Corporate help

A number of technology companies have pledged donations and assistance to the flood relief efforts.

E-commerce giant Alibaba announced on Wednesday a 100 million yuan ($15.44 million) donation to Henan, while the foundation of its founder, Jack Ma, pledged a 50 million yuan donation. Alibaba's payment unit, Ant Group, separately donated 100 million yuan.

Tech giants Tencent, Didi Chuxing and ByteDance and food delivery platform Meituan have each promised donations of 100 million yuan. Foxconn Industrial Internet, which has an iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, also donated 100 million yuan.

Alibaba's mapping service Auto-Navi has introduced an emergency reporting system where users can report flooded regions in real time.

ByteDance's short video site Douyin has created a special channel called Henan Heavy Rain SOS, where people stranded by the storm can upload a video on their whereabouts and ask for help via the platform.

Military steps in

Thousands of soldiers are taking part in the disaster-relief efforts in the province. The People's Liberation Army Central Theater Command said troops, along with 148 vehicles and boats, have been sent to more than 30 hazardous areas in Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Xinxiang and other cities in Henan to help local governments clear debris and mop up remaining floodwaters as well as prevent landslides.

The command activated an emergency response plan and has established a disaster-relief headquarters.

The first unit mobilized was the engineering and anti-chemical brigade of the PLA Ground Force's 83rd Group Army. The brigade sent troops early on Tuesday morning to a damaged dyke in Yichuan county to demolish a section of the barrier with explosives to divert floodwater.

The largest group in the mobilized force－over 2,000 militiamen from the PLA Henan Provincial Command－was sent to more than 10 places to help to clear river courses, examine and monitor river banks and dykes, and relocate residents.

The PLA Air Force's parachute force ordered a brigade to reinforce two hazardous dam breaches along the Jialu River in Kaifeng's Xiangfu district.

The brigade rushed 650 troops and 38 vehicles to the breaches on Wednesday morning. Soldiers built a 1.5-kilometer-long, 1.2-meter-tall sandbag wall.

The PLA Rocket Force mobilized one of its units in Henan on Wednesday morning. The PLA Central Theater Command said it had used military satellites and aircraft to monitor situations in the flood-hit areas.