Flood kills 29, brings fear of pollution in NE China
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At least 29 people were killed and 7 missing in a flood that hit northeast China's Jilin Province from Sunday to Wednesday, according to the latest death toll updated by the provincial authorities Thursday night.
In addition, more than 254,000 people were evacuated and 21,875 buildings collapsed in the flood, according to a statement from Jilin's civil affairs department.
27 KILLED IN YONGJI COUNTY
The death toll from a flood in Jilin's Yongji County has risen to 27, and two people were killed by floods in neighboring Shuangyang City, the statement said.
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The aerial photo taken on July 29, 2010 shows the flood-stricken towns and villages of Yongji County, northeast China's Jilin Province. [Xinhua] |
Flood triggered by torrential rains from Tuesday night to Wednesday noon submerged buildings as high as three stories during its peak. Now the water is about one-meter deep.
The overnight rainfall had reached 200 mm in Yongji by early Wednesday, making it the heaviest torrential rain on record in the county.
Jilin's meteorological bureau forecast no rains in the next 12 hours.
Water supplies, electricity and telecommunications have been cut in Kouqian Town.
Train services were suspended after Kouqian Train Station was surrounded by floodwater.
The flooding even swept two freight carriages 50 meters from where they were parked, the official said.
"I heard people crying 'flood, flood'. My son, daughter-in-law and I immediately rushed to the second floor," said Gao Xiuying, a resident of Kouqian Township, "From the second floor, we saw chairs, desks even cars tumbling in water. Everything happened within just one minute."
Gao's family had just opened a barbeque restaurant on the ground floor which was flushed by water.
Gao's neighbor, a man surnamed Liu, narrowly escaped his cellphone shop when the flood struck. But he suffered cuts and bruises on legs when he tried to break a pane.
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