10 die, 1 missing in northwest China flood

XI'AN - Ten people died and another remained missing after a flood hit northwest China's Shaanxi Province, local authorities said Saturday.

Heavy rain hit Yulin City in northern Shaanxi from Tuesday night and caused floods in a number of areas.

More than 71,300 people were forced to evacuate, the provincial flood control headquarters said.

The disaster disrupted water and power supplies and telecommunications, destroyed infrastructure, and caused waterlogging in worst-hit Suide and Zizhou counties.

It has inflicted direct economic losses of nearly 1.7 billion yuan ($250 million).

By Saturday, the provincial government has allocated 50 million yuan to fight the flood. Yulin flood control headquarters distributed 5,000 shovels, 30,000 plastic bags and 15 power generators. Bottled water, instant noodles, steamed buns and disinfectant were also distributed.

So far, water and power supplies have been resumed in most parts of the county seats of Suide and Zizhou.

In Suide, governmental workers and local residents have spent three days removing sludge as thick as one meter.

Sections of two railway lines that were damaged by the flood resumed traffic, after 190 trains services had been canceled.

On Thursday, China's second-longest river, the Yellow River, saw its first flood peak of the year.

The Yellow River Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters warned the provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan and Shandong to be alert to the peak flow.