Devastating China floods caused by Typhoon In-fa’s airflow hitting area of high pressure, say experts
- The two meteorological phenomena combined over Zhengzhou with devastating consequences
- The problem was compounded by the surrounding mountains that trapped atmospheric vapour over the city, on the banks of the flood-prone Yellow River
The central Chinese city of Zhengzhou was hit by devastating floods as the result of the airflow from Typhoon In-fa hitting an area of high pressure centred on the Pacific, according to meteorologists.
The typhoon combined with the Western North Pacific Subtropical High to create a stable airflow that carried large quantities of atmospheric water towards Henan province, Chen Tao, chief forecaster of the National Meteorological Centre, said on Wednesday.
According to the provincial meteorological bureau, the phenomenon was compounded by Zhengzhou’s topography.
The city on the banks of the Yellow River – the site of devastating floods throughout Chinese history – is surrounded by the Taihang and Funiu Mountains which cause wet air to rise and form clouds and intensify the rainfall.
This week’s heavy floods killed at least 25 people and displaced 1.2 million in Henan, with further rains forecast for the next 24 hours.
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Heavy floods in central China kill at least 18 people, force 200,000 from their homes
The Western North Pacific Subtropical High is an atmospheric phenomenon that regulates the East Asian climate in summer. Anomalies in it have been linked to floods, droughts and heatwaves in the past.
