10 dead, 33 missing in northwest China floods
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 ordered "utmost effort" in rescuing the missing people on Friday, state broadcaster CCTV said.
Due to the "frequent occurrence of extreme weather", Xi ordered all regions to "resolutely overcome complacency" and strengthen efforts to identify risks, the broadcaster added.
From Aug 7, "continuous heavy rain" in Gansu triggered flash floods, with the death toll on Friday afternoon standing at 10, CCTV said.
Local authorities had issued the highest-level emergency warning for flash floods overnight.
A video shared by the Communist Party-backed People's Daily showed more than a dozen rescuers clinging to a rope as they pushed through torrents of mud, while photos posted by Gansu's government showed roads covered in silt and large stones.
Heavy rains trapped 4,000 people living in the mountainous Xinglong area and pushed garbage onto roads, CCTV reported earlier on Friday.
Three people were missing after a mudslide in Maliantan village, it said.
Footage shared by Chinese fire authorities on Weibo showed rescuers in Maliantan guiding people through rushing grey water.
Beijing's top economic planner said it was allocating 100 million yuan (US$14 million) towards disaster relief in Gansu.
Local weather authorities at midday on Friday predicted more rain in some areas, including near the Yellow River - China's second-biggest waterway.
SOUTHERN LANDSLIDE
The country's south has also experienced torrential downpours this week.
CCTV reported on Friday that all seven people missing after a landslide in Guangdong province had been killed.
Ten of thousands of people were evacuated across Guangdong this week, with heavy rains flooding residential neighbourhoods and shops.
The government has also allocated 100 million yuan toward recovery efforts there, the National Development and Reform Commission said.
Last month, heavy rains in northern Beijing killed 44 people, with the capital's rural suburbs hit the hardest.
A landslide in a village in Hebei province, which encircles Beijing, killed another eight people.
Scientists warn that the intensity and frequency of global extreme weather events will increase as the planet continues to heat up because of fossil fuel emissions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
2 hours 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.
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
10 dead, 33 missing in northwest China floods
BEIJING: Ten people are dead and 33 missing after flash floods and mudslides in northwest China's Gansu province, state media reported on Friday (Aug 8), the latest in a series of lethal weather events to hit the country. 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 ordered "utmost effort" in rescuing the missing people on Friday, state broadcaster CCTV said. Due to the "frequent occurrence of extreme weather", Xi ordered all regions to "resolutely overcome complacency" and strengthen efforts to identify risks, the broadcaster added. From Aug 7, "continuous heavy rain" in Gansu triggered flash floods, with the death toll on Friday afternoon standing at 10, CCTV said. Local authorities had issued the highest-level emergency warning for flash floods overnight. A video shared by the Communist Party-backed People's Daily showed more than a dozen rescuers clinging to a rope as they pushed through torrents of mud, while photos posted by Gansu's government showed roads covered in silt and large stones. Heavy rains trapped 4,000 people living in the mountainous Xinglong area and pushed garbage onto roads, CCTV reported earlier on Friday. Three people were missing after a mudslide in Maliantan village, it said. Footage shared by Chinese fire authorities on Weibo showed rescuers in Maliantan guiding people through rushing grey water. Beijing's top economic planner said it was allocating 100 million yuan (US$14 million) towards disaster relief in Gansu. Local weather authorities at midday on Friday predicted more rain in some areas, including near the Yellow River - China's second-biggest waterway. SOUTHERN LANDSLIDE The country's south has also experienced torrential downpours this week. CCTV reported on Friday that all seven people missing after a landslide in Guangdong province had been killed. Ten of thousands of people were evacuated across Guangdong this week, with heavy rains flooding residential neighbourhoods and shops. The government has also allocated 100 million yuan toward recovery efforts there, the National Development and Reform Commission said. Last month, heavy rains in northern Beijing killed 44 people, with the capital's rural suburbs hit the hardest. A landslide in a village in Hebei province, which encircles Beijing, killed another eight people. Scientists warn that the intensity and frequency of global extreme weather events will increase as the planet continues to heat up because of fossil fuel emissions.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Xi orders 'all-out' rescue as floods kill 10 in northwest China
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BEIJING - President Xi Jinping on Friday ordered "all-out" rescue efforts in China's arid and mountainous northwest after flash floods caused by exceptionally heavy rain killed 10 people and left 33 missing. Torrential downpours began around 6 p.m. on Thursday and unleashed flash floods in Gansu province's Yuzhong, stranding some 4,000 people, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported. In one mountainous area, precipitation had reached up to 195mm (7.7 inches) since early Thursday evening. Yuzhong county normally sees 300-400mm of rainfall for the entire year. Yuzhong is situated among gullies and hills of wind-blown silt on one of the world's biggest loess plateaus. That makes it vulnerable to flash floods and landslides given the loose structure of the soil, which becomes unstable when saturated with water. Ankle-high muddy water could be seen coursing down a hilly road flanked by uprooted trees in a video posted by CCTV. "The top priority must be to make every possible effort to search for and rescue missing people, relocate and resettle people under threat, minimise casualties, and restore communications and transportation as quickly as possible," CCTV quoted Xi as saying. He warned local governments not to succumb to "complacency and carelessness" in light of recent occurrences of extreme weather, CCTV said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore PM Wong calls on S'poreans to band together for nation to remain exceptional in National Day message Singapore Four foreign leaders to attend NDP 2025 at the Padang Singapore NDP 2025: No ticket, no problem – here are some spots to soak up National Day vibes Business Singapore's digital banks trim deposit rates, mirroring moves by incumbent players Singapore Non-invasive depression treatment TMS has helped engineer get his life back Life S'pore's nightlife isn't dead yet: A nightlife reporter's 6 favourite places to drink Singapore Ex-lawyer convicted of cheating, forgery charges involving more than $8 million Singapore Chief Justice names law graduate who wanted anonymity after being denied Bar admission Record rainfall has lashed China's north and south in recent weeks in what meteorologists describe as extreme weather events linked to climate change. Heavy rains and flooding have killed at least 60 people across northern China including Beijing since late July. The National Development and Reform Commission said on Friday it has allocated 100 million yuan ($13.92 million) to support rescue efforts in Gansu following the disaster. China has announced at least 6 billion yuan of funding for disaster relief since April. REUTERS
