Henan flood toll at 302, probe team formed
Print Edition
The death toll from last month’s floods in Henan Province rose to 302 as of yesterday, officials said, triple the figure of 99 that was reported last week, with most of the fatalities reported in the provincial capital Zhengzhou.
A city of 12 million that lies along the Yellow River, the death toll in Zhengzhou was 292, including 14 who perished when a subway line was flooded.
Zhengzhou Mayor Hou Hong said 189 people were killed by floods and mudslides in the city, 54 in house collapses and 39 in underground areas such as basements and garages, including those on subway Line 5. The death toll remained at six in an expressway tunnel from which 247 vehicles were removed as it was drained.
Over three days last month, 617.1 millimeters of rain fell in Zhengzhou, nearly equivalent to its annual average of 640.8mm, causing widespread damage and disruption in a city that is a major transport and industrial hub.
The worst came after Zhengzhou was hit by 20 centimeters of rain in one hour starting at 4pm on July 20, overwhelming the already drenched city. Video posted online showed vehicles being washed away and desperate people trapped in subway cars as the waters rose.
Of the 50 people still missing in Henan Province, 47 were from Zhengzhou, local officials said yesterday.
The rains headed north in the following days, hitting the Henan cities of Hebi, Anyang and Xinxiang. Seven people dead and three missing in Xinxiang City, while the city of Pingdingshan and Luohe reported two and one death, respectively.
Wang Kai, the governor of Henan, expressed deep condolences to the victims and sympathies to the families on behalf of the Henan Communist Party committee.
More than 14.53 million people in 150 county-level regions had been affected by downpours and about 1.5 million people were evacuated. Over 1.09 million hectares of crops were damaged, and over 30,600 houses had collapsed across the province, official data showed. Direct economic losses in Henan reached 114.27 billion yuan (US$18 billion).
Currently, railways, civil aviation, expressways and major roads in Henan have resumed traffic. The urban and rural public transportation and communication networks have also basically resumed. Areas where disaster-affected people have been relocated, public transport, and flood-affected areas have all completed disinfection.
The State Council announced yesterday that it has decided to set up an investigation team to assess the responses to the devastating flood in Zhengzhou. The team will be headed by the Ministry of Emergency Management and include officials and experts from relevant departments.
The investigation aims to summarize the experience and lessons drawn from the response and propose measures that can be taken to improve disaster prevention and relief in the future. Those who are found breaching their duties in the Zhengzhou flood will be held responsible according to the law and regulations, the statement said.
Meanwhile, the National Development and Reform Commission has delivered the first batch of fertilizer to the rain-battered province to ensure the need for post-disaster agricultural production.
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