10 dead, 33 missing in northwest China floods: state media
BEIJING - Ten people are dead and 33 missing after flash floods in northwest China's Gansu province, state media reported on Aug 8.
'From August 7, continuous heavy rain... has triggered flash floods. As of 3.30pm on August 8, 10 people have died and 33 are missing,' state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered 'utmost effort' in rescuing the missing people, CCTV said.
Due to the 'frequent occurrence of extreme weather', Mr Xi ordered all regions to 'resolutely overcome complacency' and strengthen efforts to identify risks, the broadcaster added.
Footage shared by Chinese fire authorities on Weibo showed rescuers guiding people through rushing grey water in a village.
Photos posted by Gansu's government showed roads covered in silt and large stones.
Natural disasters are common across China, particularly in the summer when some regions experience heavy rain while others bake in searing heat.
Heavy rains in northern Beijing killed 44 people last month, with the capital's rural suburbs hit the hardest.
China is the
world's biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases that drive climate change and contribute to making extreme weather more frequent and intense.
But it is also a global renewable energy powerhouse that aims to make its massive economy carbon-neutral by 2060. AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Fires, storms and blazing beat forecast for western US
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The Gifford Fire, about 201km north-west of Los Angeles, had burned 114,621 acres (46,385ha) and was 21 per cent contained as of Aug 10. LOS ANGELES – Fires, storms and the potential for near-record high temperatures across the western US are in the offing for this week. The Gifford Fire, about 201km north-west of Los Angeles, had burned 114,621 acres (46,385ha) and was 21 per cent contained as of Aug 10, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, commonly known as Cal Fire. So far, 809 people have been evacuated and the Los Padres National Forest was closed because of the flames. There are 3,935 fire crews and support staff on the scene, and at least seven have been injured, according to a joint statement by Cal Fire, the US Forest Service and several local agencies. The Gifford blaze is the largest of 15 fires across the state, which also includes the Canyon Fire that had burned 5,370 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, according to Cal Fire. A new fire broke out near Fresno on Aug 10 but had only consumed about 10 acres. Large wildfires in Colorado have also caused air quality to drop there, the US National Weather Service said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 55,000 BTO units to be launched from 2025 to 2027, will help moderate HDB resale prices: Minister Singapore First voluntary redevelopment projects for HDB flats likely to be launched in first half of 2030s Singapore Israel's plan to step up Gaza offensive dangerous and unacceptable: MFA Singapore Over 118,000 speeding violations in first half of 2025; situation shows no signs of improvement: TP Singapore Four men arrested after Bukit Timah police op believed to be linked to housebreaking syndicates Singapore 'It's so close': Crowds turn up for Red Lions, mobile column at National Day heartland celebrations Singapore 'We could feel the heat from our house': Car catches fire in Bidadari area Singapore 65-year-old ice cream man helps spread smiles with cool treats in Income giveaway Alerts are out across western portions of the state, including Vail, the agency said. Meanwhile, smoke from forest fires in Canada has once again crossed into the US, causing air quality alerts to be posted in Minnesota and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the National Weather Service said. Across the border, air quality warnings are also in place for parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Environment and Climate Change Canada said. Across Canada, 714 active fires are burning with 166 raging out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. So far in 2025, 4,277 blazes have charred 7.3 million acres. In the US, there have been 42,854 fires reported on 3.5 million acres, the US National Interagency Fire Centre said. While the number of US fires exceeds 2024's 32,727 by this date, the acreage burned is less than the more than 5 million acres consumed a year ago. US heat advisories and extreme heat warnings are posted across parts of the west, including California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Phoenix is forecast to reach 42 deg C on Aug 10, a dip from the record temperatures that gripped the fifth most-populous US city last week. Phoenix set a new August high temperature of 47.9 deg C on Aug 7. In New York City and elsewhere in the north-east, temperatures are set to rise. As many as 12 records may be tied or broken across the region in the coming week, the US Weather Prediction Centre said. Flood watches have been posted across the Midwest, including Milwaukee, the weather service said. The Milwaukee River in Estabrook Park has risen more than 8 feet (2.4m) in the last day, cresting at a new record of 11.19 feet, the weather service said. The Wisconsin State Fair cancelled its final day on Aug 10 after flooding ripped through the area late on Aug 9. The US National Hurricane Centre is watching two potential storms both in the central Atlantic far from land. The first is a disorganised patch of thunderstorms that's moving north into the Atlantic with a 20 per cent chance of becoming a storm this week. The second is a broad area of low pressure that is moving off Africa with a 70 per cent chance of becoming a tropical storm or hurricane. The remnants of Tropical Storm Dexter, which has crossed the Atlantic Ocean toward Europe, will set the stage for warmer temperatures to filter in across the UK and Ireland, the UK Met Office said. Warmer temperatures are forecast to sweep into the UK during the coming week. The high in London is forecast to reach 33 deg C by Aug 12, the agency said. BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
'Challenging day' for firefighters battling huge blaze in France
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Although the fire has been contained, it will "not be extinguished for several weeks," said the chief of the French region's firefighter unit. FONTJONCOUSE, France - Firefighters have contained a massive wildfire in southern France but local officials warned on Aug 10 that scorching heat and dry conditions could reignite the blaze, as parts of the Mediterranean region face a heatwave. The fire has ravaged a vast area of France's southern Aude department at the peak of the summer tourist season, killing one person and injuring several others. Authorities said that hot, dry winds on Aug 10 – similar to those on the day the blaze began – and a heatwave would make the work of firefighters more difficult. 'It's a challenging day, given that we are likely to be on red alert for heatwave from 4pm (10pm Singapore time), which will not make things any easier,' said Mr Christian Pouget, prefect of the Aude department. The fire is no longer spreading but is still burning within a 16,000ha area, said the chief of the region's firefighter unit Christophe Magny on Aug 9, adding it would not be under control until the next evening. But the blaze will 'not be extinguished for several weeks,' he said. Some 1,300 firefighters were mobilised to prevent the blaze from reigniting amid fears that the tramontane wind, which officials said picked up overnight from Aug 9 to Aug 10, could fan lingering hot spots. Temperatures this weekend are expected to hit 40 deg C in some areas, and Aug 11 is forecast to be the 'hottest day nationwide,' according to national weather service Meteo France. In Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, a 65-year-old woman was found dead on Aug 6 in her home, which was devastated by flames. Authorities said one resident suffered serious burns and four others were lightly injured, while 19 firefighters were hurt, including one with a head injury. Experts say European countries are becoming ever more vulnerable to such disasters due to intensifying summer heatwaves linked to global warming. The blaze – the largest in at least 50 years – tore through 16,000ha of vegetation, disaster officials said. For livestock farmers in Fontjoncouse, the fire has ravaged grazing land and wiped out much of their flocks, fuelling outrage among those who said they did not have time to evacuate their herds. Ms Emmanuelle Bernier said she was 'extremely angry' when she returned to a devastating scene, finding the pen that had housed her herd of goats in ruins, with 17 animals – some close to giving birth – lost in the fire. 'I will definitely change jobs. This will change my whole life,' she said. Ms Bernier's property now holds only a few geese and two sick goats after she had to temporarily entrust her surviving sheep to a local winegrower, as the damage to the farm was so extensive that they could no longer stay. 'Everything here was built around the sheep, and seeing the flock leave was incredibly difficult for me,' she said. But as she surveyed the scorched landscape, Ms Bernier voiced some hope for the future. 'There's still a little life left,' she said. AFP
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
Death toll from northwest China floods rises to 13
BEIJING: The death toll from flash floods and mudslides in northwest China has risen to 13, state media said on Saturday (Aug 9), after the bodies of three people were found. Torrents of mud and water began hitting mountainous areas of Gansu province on Thursday, with the death toll listed as 10 on Friday as rescuers searched for at least 33 missing people. Natural disasters are common across China, particularly in the summer, when some regions experience heavy rain while others bake in searing heat. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the "utmost effort" in rescuing missing people, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday. The death toll stood at 13, with the number of missing now listed as 30, state news agency Xinhua said on Saturday. Hundreds of people had been rescued and thousands more evacuated, Xinhua added. It quoted a rescue official describing the situation as "complex" due to the mud and rough roads, with telephone lines and electricity also cut. State media on Friday put the number of people trapped in the mountainous Xinglong area at 4,000, with heavy rain pushing garbage into roads. Beijing's top economic planner has allocated 100 million yuan (US$14 million) towards disaster relief in Gansu. Authorities also announced a yellow alert on Saturday for torrential rains and activated a flood response plan in the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei and Chongqing, CCTV said. China's south has also experienced torrential downpours this week, with tens of thousands of people evacuated across Guangdong. Heavy rain in Beijing in the north also killed 44 people last month, with the capital's rural suburbs hardest hit and another eight people killed in a landslide in nearby Hebei province. Scientists warn that the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events will increase as the planet continues to heat up because of fossil fuel emissions.
