12 killed, 13 missing in SW China flood

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-07-12 18:53

CHONGQING: Rain-triggered floods and landslides have left 12 people dead and 13 missing in Chongqing Municipality over the past three days, the local flood-control authority said Sunday.

Seven of a 35-member tourist group were killed by sudden mountain torrents in an undeveloped canyon in Wanzhou District Saturday, and 12 members of the self-organized expedition remained missing as of Sunday, Chongqing's flood control and drought relief headquarters said.

A man is rescued out of a canyon where sudden mountain torrents killed seven of a tourist group, in Wanzhou District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Sunday July 11, 2009. [Xinhua]

Rain-triggered mud flows have left two people dead and four missing in Kaixian and Yunyang counties respectively.

Continuous rain began to pelt northeastern Chongqing at about 8 p.m. Thursday, affecting 151,600 people in 106 townships and forcing 3,883 people to evacuate as of Sunday.

Precipitation reached more than 100 millimeters in 59 locations while Chengkou County reported the maximum of 342.7 millimeters.

Heavy rainfall flooded 9,000 hectares of cropland and damaged infrastructure facilities, incurring more than 100 million yuan (US$14.6million) in economic loss.

Weather forecasts said moderate rain or downpour will hit the north and northeastern part of Chongqing from Sunday to Monday.

In the neighboring Sichuan Province, ceaseless rainfall had left two people missing and more than 100,000 others displaced as of Saturday.

While in the central province of Hunan, a heavy rain also left one person dead and four others missing by Saturday.