President Xi Jinping orders ‘all-out’ rescue operations to save the missing people, CCTV says.
At least 10 people have been killed and 33 are missing in flash floods in northwestern China’s Gansu province, according to state media.
“From August 7, continuous heavy rain … has triggered flash floods. As of 3:30pm (07:30 GMT) on August 8, 10 people have died and 33 are missing,” state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered “all-out” rescue operations with “utmost effort” to save the missing people, CCTV said.
Due to the “frequent occurrence of extreme weather”, Xi ordered all regions to “resolutely overcome complacency” and strengthen efforts to identify risks, the broadcaster added.
Footage shared by Chinese fire authorities on the social media platform Weibo showed rescuers guiding people through rushing grey water in a village.
Photos posted by Gansu’s government showed roads covered in silt and large stones.
Record rainfall has lashed China’s north and south in recent weeks in what meteorologists describe as extreme weather linked to climate change.
Heavy rains and flooding have killed at least 60 people across northern China, including Beijing, since late July.
