Photo taken on Dec. 22, 2020 shows a thermal coal yard of Huanghua Port in Cangzhou City, north China's Hebei Province. Photo: Xinhua

China's railway system plans to deliver 60 train loads of coal to Central China's Henan Province per day as the province reported urgent shortages of the fuel that's used to generate electricity, after major transport routes were blocked by an unprecedented deluge, local media reported. 

The railway system is implementing multiple measures to guarantee coal supply for Henan, which has taken the initiative to strengthen communication between the government and key enterprises, kept in close communication with the National Development and Reform Commission and local authorities, and contacted major local power plants and key coal mining enterprises to monitor the consumption of coal inventories to ensure stable supply, the chinanews.com reported Saturday. 

A total of 60 trains of coal from major coal-producing provinces and regions, including North China's Shanxi Province, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province and North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, have been diverted to Henan on a daily basis, the report said.

Multiple sources in Zhengzhou, Henan's capital city, told the Global Times on Sunday that the water and electricity in their communities had returned to normal, while some residents of older communities and buildings in low-lying areas are still experiencing water shortages and power outages. 

"The company's current power supply network has been restored, but the domestic water and drinking water systems have not returned to normal, and elevators and air conditioners cannot be used normally," an employee surnamed Wang from an education company located in Guancheng district, Zhengzhou, said on Sunday. 

China Railway Group has been conducting a comprehensive inspection of freight transport equipment, speeding up the process of clearing damaged lines, and efficiently arranging human resources to ensure safe and fast deliveries of coal to Henan, according to Chinanews.com.

Meanwhile, the railway department has increased coal supply to provinces and regions that were affected by flooding such as Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Northwest China's Qinghai Province, and Northeast China's Jilin and Liaoning provinces, with power plant coal inventories sufficient for more than seven days.