Flood kills 80 armed police officers in Fujian (Xinhua/China Daily) Updated: 2005-10-08 07:46
The death toll caused by mountain torrents that hit an armed police unit in
East China's Fujian Province Sunday night rose to 80 on Friday, rescuers said.
Among the 57 people saved, 39 were wounded and hospitalized. Some of them
have recovered. Rescuers are still searching for the 5 people who remain
missing, the sources said.
Servicemen, policemen and local residents have been engaged in the rescue
work over the past five days and have recovered 80 bodies.
The sudden downpour brought by Typhoon Longwang hit the unit stationed in
Fuzhou, capital of Fujian Province, Sunday night, when mountain torrents dashed
against two houses and washed away people inside.
The reason for the disaster is under investigation, the sources said.
1,247 lives claimed in flood season
Natural disasters have affected more than 201 million people - around one
sixth of the population, according to the statistics from the State Flood
Control and Drought Relief Headquarters released Friday.
Farmers carry their grain and belongs away
from the flood diversion areas in Dujiatai and Caidain in Hubei
province October 5, 2005. [newsphoto] |
Floods and landslides have killed 1,247 people and left another 331 missing
in China in the major flood season this year, a senior official said, adding
that crops on at least 15 million hectares of farmland have been destroyed and
1.17 million houses ruined.
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