Beijing Blames Weather and Local Officials for Henan’s July Flooding Disaster in Investigative Report

An aerial view shows cars sitting in floodwaters at the entrance of Jingguang Expressway tunnel after heavy rains hit the city of Zhengzhou in China's central Henan province on July 22, 2021. Noel Celis / AFP

Beijing announced in an online report a revised total death and missing persons toll after it reviewed an investigation of the devastating flooding that hit a central Chinese province last July.

In its 46-page report, China’s top government body ̶ the State Council ̶ elaborated on the severity of the rainstorms, calling them “torrential rains that are rare in history,” while concluding that the flooding was caused by both the extreme weather and negligence of local officials and construction staffers.