Guangzhou, China floods as muddy water surges into subway station after heavy rain

The flood was caused by construction works at the station.

Matthias Ang | July 31, 2021, 06:53 PM

A subway station in Guangzhou has flooded after heavy rain struck the city, Chinese state-run media China Daily reported.

On July 30, service between Huangcun and Suyuan stations on Guangzhou's Line 21 was suspended for more than three hours as a result of flooding at Shenzhoulu station at about 1pm.

Video footage of the incident showed torrential muddy waters surging through the station, resembling an earlier flood in Henan province in which train commuters were left in chest-deep water.

No casualties were reported this time though.

Flood caused by construction works in the station

Sina Weibo further reported that the flood was caused by the collapse of a retaining wall at a construction site in the station, as a result of the site's drainage being affected by dredging.

The deputy director of Huangpu District Emergency Management Bureau, Gu Lin, estimated there was around 2,000 cubic metres (2 million litres) of water in the station, based on what he saw.

China News reported that the water level began to drop at about 4pm, with firefighters entering the station to clean up leftover silt and water.

Construction site staff also participated in the clean-up efforts, along with more than a hundred subway cleaning personnel.

Meanwhile, three fire trucks and special rescue teams were sent to the scene to help with rescue work.

Shuttle buses were also arranged for affected passengers, with others urged to use alternative forms of transport so as to avoid taking the subway.

Top collage left image via Lianhe Wanbao, right image via China News