China: 15 dead, 1.76 million affected due to severe rain & flooding in Shanxi province

At least 15 people died in north China's Shanxi province earlier this month due to severe rain and flooding, according to local officials on October 12, after the normally dry region received three months' rain in a week. The continuous rain has affected 1.76 million people in 76 county-level regions across the province, and 1,20,100 people have been moved. According to Xinhua, 37,700 dwellings have fallen or been severely damaged, and 2,38,460 hectares of crops have been devastated, resulting in a direct economic loss of roughly USD 780 million.

The flooding struck the coal-rich landlocked region during a statewide energy shortage, and just after catastrophic floods in northern Henan province killed more than 300 people in July. At least 60 coal mines in the province, which is one of China's top coal-producing regions, were forced to close temporarily due to the floods, according to local emergency management official Wang Qirui, AP reported. The extreme weather destroyed roughly 19,000 buildings, while another 18,000 were seriously damaged.

Wang further stated that Fifteen individuals died as a result of the accident, and three people are still missing. The floods have affected at least 1.75 million people across the province, with 120,000 safely evacuated. Shanxi Evening News published photos on October 12, showing traffic cops carrying youngsters on their backs while wading through waist-deep water after many vehicles became stuck. 

Shanxi, Henan & Shandong receive assistance from Ministry of Water resources

Not only Shanxi, but many other regions of the country, experienced heavy rainfall. The Ministry of Water Resources, according to Xinhua, has dispatched seven working groups to the provinces of Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong to assist with flood prevention and management. The ministry announced that China's second-longest river, has flooded for the third time this season due to heavy rain.

According to the authorities, the volume of water flowing per second at the Tongguan hydrologic station in northwest China's Shaanxi Province increased to 5,090 cubic metres on October 5 evening following recent torrential rains, according to Xinhua. The Ministry of Natural Resources and the China Meteorological Administration issued landslide and flooding warnings across the north and west, including the provinces of Shanxi, Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu.

With inputs from agencies

Image: AP