BEIJING Aug 10 (Online): Seven people were killed in flash floods in south-western China on Wednesday, as authorities in Beijing tripled the death toll from the capital\u2019s heaviest-ever rains.
\nChina has been hit by record downpours in recent weeks, damaging infrastructure and deluging swaths of Beijing\u2019s suburbs and surrounding areas.<\/p>\n
And in south-western Sichuan province, flash flooding on Wed\u00acnesday killed seven people on Wedn\u00acesday, state media reported. The victims, who were reportedly taking pictures when the torrent struck, were tourists visiting a popular site.<\/p>\n
Thirty-three people have been confirmed dead and 18 are still missing officials said on Wednesday, in the recent bad weather in the capital, mainly by flooding and buildings collapsing \u2014 three times the figure given by officials on Tuesday last week.<\/p>\n
33 people were killed and 18 remain unaccounted during recent downpour
\n\u201cI would like to express my deep condolences to those who died in the line of duty and the unfortunate victims,\u201d Xia Linmao, Beijing\u2019s vice-mayor, told a news conference, according to state broadcaster CCTV.<\/p>\n
Scores have died in the floods across northern China, with Beijing officials saying on Friday 147 deaths or disappearances last month were caused by natural disasters.
\nOf those, 142 were caused by flooding or geological disasters, China\u2019s Ministry of Emergency Management said.<\/p>\n
Millions of people have been hit by extreme weather events and prolonged heatwaves around the globe in recent weeks, events that scientists say are being exacerbated by climate change.<\/p>\n
Extreme weather has also struck in other parts of the country, with CCTV saying \u201clocal public security, fire and other departments are continuing to carry out search and rescue efforts\u201d after the seven people were drowned in Sichuan\u2019s Longxi River. The flash flood occurred an embankment southwest of the provincial capital of Chengdu, where \u201cmore than 10\u201d people were swept away by an unexpected tide of water, state media said.<\/p>\n
Video shared by CCTV showed several people struggling to keep their heads above water as a powerful torrent pushed them downstream and bystanders shouted from the water\u2019s edge.
\nThe cause of the deluge was not immediately clear.<\/p>\n
Meteorological authorities in the nearby city of Qionglai issued a yellow warning for rain on Wednesday, anticipating possible precipitation of \u201cmore than 50 mm\u201d over the next six hours in certain parts of the administrative district.<\/p>\n
Fifteen people were reported to have died in Hebei province, which neighbours Beijing, and 22 were missing on Saturday.<\/p>\n
This news agency team in Hebei\u2019s Zhuozhou saw residents and workers clearing up debris and fixing damaged property on Wednesday, more than a week after rain started pummelling the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith my car that was washed away, the merchandise from my com\u00acpany and everything else, we\u2019ve lost around a mil yuan ($\u00ac140,000),\u201d said a female villager who declined to give her name.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BEIJING Aug 10 (Online): Seven people were killed in flash floods in south-western China on Wednesday, as authorities in Beijing tripled the death toll from the capital\u2019s heaviest-ever rains. China has been hit by record downpours in recent weeks, damaging infrastructure and deluging swaths of […]<\/p>\n
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