At least 21 Dead, 6 Missing After Landslide Triggered By Heavy Rains In North China

At least 21 people were reported dead from a landslide caused by heavy rains in northern China, said the authorities on Sunday, adding that six others went missing. The northern part of the country has experienced deadly floods and heavy rains in the recent weeks with dozens killed in storms. “Twenty-one people were found dead so far, and six others are still missing,” the Xi’an emergency management bureau said in an online statement on Sunday, as per an AFP report. 

Earlier, the state media reported that the death toll was at 4 on Sunday. 

A mountain flash flood triggered a landslide on Friday in the village of Weiziping, south of Xi’an in Shaanxi province sweeping away with it two houses and damaging roads, bridges, electricity supply and other infrastructure, national public radio CNR reported earlier, the report stated. 

Scores of soldiers and firefighters were mobilised for the relief operations “which are continuing” on Sunday, the CNR stated with over 980 people mobilised for the rescue effort, using life detectors and search dogs, according to the Xi’an emergency management bureau statement. 

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Two houses were “destroyed” in the landslide and 900 homes went without power, it added, according to the AFP report. 

“According to experts, the cause of the disaster is a flash flood mud-rock flow caused by short-term torrential rain,” the statement said.

“Up to now, a total of 186 people have been relocated and resettled… 49 communication base stations in the disaster-stricken area have resumed service, and power supplies have been resumed in 855 homes.”

The record-breaking rains came after a spell of historic heat, the report said, adding that the scientists are saying such extreme weather events are being exacerbated by climate change.

As per the state media on Friday, 29 people died from flooding in Hebei province after Storm Doksuri — which hit mainland China as a typhoon in late July — brought on the most severe rainfall since records began 140 years ago.