Widespread flooding hit a provincial capital in central China, killing at least 51 people and forcing nearly 400,000 more from their homes.

The images above show the impacts of the flooding on the city of Zhengzhou in Henan Province, where rushing water piled up cars on roadways and flooded the subway underground. Rescue crews helped hundreds of riders escape the flooded subway trains, but a dozen people reportedly died in the subway underground.

(MORE: The Latest on the China Flooding)

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The flooding was brought on by incredible rainfall totals; In 72 hours, Zhengzhou received about 31 inches of rain, which is more than the city's yearly rainfall average. The Zhengzhou weather bureau said the three days of rain was at a level seen "once in a thousand years."

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