Society
At least 27 die after flood wreck havoc in south China
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-10 00:28
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BEIJING -- At least 27 people are dead, six others missing and tens of thousands evacuated after more rain-triggered landslides have caused havoc in south China, delaying flights and severing roads and railway lines in south China.
In the hardest-hit Chongqing Municipality, at least eight people had died, one remain missing and 27,000 were relocated, local authorities said late Friday.
The heaviest rain this summer started to batter Chongqing from Thursday night, with Huatian Township in Youyang County recording the largest rainfall of 241.6 mm. Water levels in most rivers in Chongqing have risen above warning levels.
"One of my relatives almost drowned after water gushed into the ground-floor apartment through the windows. The family was dragged out by people using a rope," said Zeng Jun, a resident at Fenshui.
The rains also delayed 92 flights at Chongqing airport Friday morning.
An earlier report of the Ministry of Civil Affairs said torrential rains had damaged 88,100 hectares of crops, toppled 9,000 houses, damaged 20,000 houses and caused a direct economic loss of 1.09 billion yuan (160.9 million U.S. dollars) in the southwest region.
In central Hunan Province, eight people were dead, one missing, 107,000 relocated and 2.06 million affected, the ministry said.
The rain had toppled 5,270 houses and inflicted direct economic losses of one billion yuan (147 million U.S. dollars) in Hunan.
In Hunan's neighboring province of Hubei seven people were dead and three missing due to the rain-triggered accidents, as well as economic losses of 1.09 billion yuan.
A woman and her daughter were crushed to death in their sleep after their house collapsed in heavy rain in Qingtian County, Lishui City of east China's Zhejiang Province, said the municipal fire fighters.
A rain-triggered landslide disrupted the Sichuan-Guizhou Railway at Tongzi County in southwest China's Guizhou Province at around 8 a.m. Friday, said Wang Zhong, head of Tongzi County government.
The landslide carrying 2,000 cubic meters of debris occurred at Dahe Town. Over 300 workers with seven excavators were battling to repair the railway.
The railway was expected to be fixed by 8 a.m. Saturday, instead of the earlier estimated time of 5 p.m Friday, as further landslides buried the line.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs has launched a level IV emergency response after the new floods hit southern China from Thursday. Under a level IV emergency response, monitoring of emergencies will be stepped up and reported to the State Council.
Previously, in June, torrential rains had resulted in 260 deaths and left 211 missing in 11 southern provinces, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Health officials said no major outbreaks of infectious diseases had been reported in disaster-hit regions, but warned mounting pressure for disease prevention because the temporary shelters were crammed with people and a great deal of medicine and disinfectants were needed.
"There was no major epidemic outbreaks or public health emergencies," Liang Wannian, director of the Ministry's health emergency response office, told Xinhua Friday.
The Ministry will keep close contact with health departments and other government departments in the flood-hit areas to ensure timely reporting of and emergency responses to the possible diseases. It will also offer expertise and emergency medical staff when needed, Liang said.
Liang also urged strengthened treatment of common diseases and examination of food and water in the flood-hit areas.