Eight killed, 24 missing after rainstorms, landslides hit China

Eight people were killed and 24 others went missing after rainstorms and landslides hit China’s southwestern Chongqing Municipality. More than 500 professional rescuers, including fire-fighters and armed police, have evacuated over 7,000 residents in nine rain-drenched townships in Yunyang County to safe locations, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The missing include 11 coal miners in Yunyang who were buried by a landslide on Monday. Torrential rain started to pound Yunyang, Wuxi, Fengjie and Wushan in northeastern Chongqing on Sunday, cutting off traffic, power and communication in parts of the counties. Rescuers are working to resume traffic that has been disrupted by downpours on three major roads and a highway to the county seat of Wuxi.

The rainstorms have affected more than 250,000 residents in 32 townships in Wuxi. The county’s water authorities said many streets in the county seat have been inundated by flood water as deep as 50 cm.

The National Meteorological Center forecast heavy rain in Chongqing and neighbouring Sichuan Province today.