Fatality figure from landslides, floods reaches 44
Source: Xinhua |
June 4, 2010, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE death toll from rain-triggered landslides and flooding in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region rose to 44 yesterday.
Eight people were still missing, the regional flood-control and drought-relief headquarters said.
Two primary students, sisters aged 8 and 10, were drowned in Laibin City where flooding forced many schools to suspend classes.
More than 600 residents in two villages in Laibin were evacuated because of land subsidence yesterday. Four pits and cracks were reported near the villages, with the biggest having a diameter of more than 70 meters and depth of 20m.
Increased water flow in underground rivers in wake of torrential rain could have caused the subsidence, a senior Laibin official said.
Heavy rain began pounding Guangxi on Monday and triggered landslides early on Wednesday.
About 144,800 people were evacuated by 4pm yesterday, the regional civil affairs bureau said. More than 8,120 houses collapsed and 161,830 hectares of crops were damaged. Economic losses were estimated at 1.2 billion yuan (US$176 million).
The No. 2 High School in Du'an County of Hechi City was one of the worst affected by the rainstorms.
Huang Shizhao, a third-year student, said he woke up on Tuesday morning to find water pouring into his dorm. "The river close to our school had burst its banks and flooded the campus," he said.
The floods stopped some classes, but Huang and 1,000 schoolmates stayed to make last-minute preparations for the national college entrance exam that will begin on Monday.
The test result will decide whether they will go on to college or revise for another year, or join the migrant millions to take low-skilled jobs away from their homes.
They trekked through the knee-deep water several times a day between classrooms and their dorms.
Eight people were still missing, the regional flood-control and drought-relief headquarters said.
Two primary students, sisters aged 8 and 10, were drowned in Laibin City where flooding forced many schools to suspend classes.
More than 600 residents in two villages in Laibin were evacuated because of land subsidence yesterday. Four pits and cracks were reported near the villages, with the biggest having a diameter of more than 70 meters and depth of 20m.
Increased water flow in underground rivers in wake of torrential rain could have caused the subsidence, a senior Laibin official said.
Heavy rain began pounding Guangxi on Monday and triggered landslides early on Wednesday.
About 144,800 people were evacuated by 4pm yesterday, the regional civil affairs bureau said. More than 8,120 houses collapsed and 161,830 hectares of crops were damaged. Economic losses were estimated at 1.2 billion yuan (US$176 million).
The No. 2 High School in Du'an County of Hechi City was one of the worst affected by the rainstorms.
Huang Shizhao, a third-year student, said he woke up on Tuesday morning to find water pouring into his dorm. "The river close to our school had burst its banks and flooded the campus," he said.
The floods stopped some classes, but Huang and 1,000 schoolmates stayed to make last-minute preparations for the national college entrance exam that will begin on Monday.
The test result will decide whether they will go on to college or revise for another year, or join the migrant millions to take low-skilled jobs away from their homes.
They trekked through the knee-deep water several times a day between classrooms and their dorms.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
