Floods leave 4 dead, 16 missing in SW China town

Four people are dead and 16 others missing after torrential rains caused flooding Saturday at a township in southwest China's Sichuan Province, local authorities said.

Rainstorms pelted Chenhe Township in Tongjiang County for 10 hours Saturday beginning at midnight, triggering floods that swamped all one-floor buildings in the worst-hit Chang Town. Roads leading into the town were cut off, as were telecommunications and power supplies, said officials in the county's emergency response office.

More than 3,100 people evacuated their homes and were relocated to warehouses and tents on higher ground, said Li Gang, head of the county government's information office.

Rescuers continue searching for residents reported as missing.

Floods also rushed into more than 100 stores in Chang Town, causing massive economic losses, said Li.

As the rain had ended by noon, floodwaters are receding from the town, he added.

Floods also caused casualties and serious damages in other Chinese provinces Saturday.

In the northwestern province of Gansu, thirteen people died in a landslide caused by heavy rains in Pingliang City early Saturday, the provincial government's response office said in a statement.

Also, in neighboring Shaanxi Province more than 9,300 people were forced to flee their homes early Saturday as the Luofu River burst its banks, local authorities said.

The 50-meter breach widened to 80 meters in the afternoon.

More than 900 soldiers and workers were battling to strengthen the remaining riverbanks and fill the breach, said Dang Decai, party secretary of Huayin City, where the breach occurred.

In central Hubei Province, mountain torrents and river floods have left 13 people dead and 10 missing since late Friday.

Those who died during the past two days have increased the latest death toll released by the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, in which 742 people were dead and 367 missing in floods this year in 28 Chinese provinces, regions and municipalities, as of Friday morning.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has ordered local authorities to prepare for "more serious floods and disasters", as some major rivers saw water rising above their warning levels.

Torrential rains would continue to pound the nation's central and southwest regions through Sunday, said the National Meteorological Center (NMC) Saturday morning.

Wen said China was at a "crucial stage" for flood control during an inspection tour in central China' s Hubei Province that began July 23.

Source: Xinhua