Dujiangyan landslide death toll rises to 43

By Xinhua – Global Times Source:Global Times Published: 2013-7-15 0:08:01

The photo taken from a military helicopter on Saturday shows a giant SOS placed on the ground in the Aba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province. Three helicopters were dispatched to transport daily necessities and medication to the region, which has been swept by rainstorms and rainstorm-triggered landslides. Photo: IC

The photo taken from a military helicopter on Saturday shows a giant SOS placed on the ground in the Aba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province. Three helicopters were dispatched to transport daily necessities and medication to the region, which has been swept by rainstorms and rainstorm-triggered landslides. Photo: IC



 

By late Sunday, at least 43 people had been killed in a landslide in Dujiangyan, Sichuan Province, and some 118 were still missing, many of them tourists.

Authorities have so far identified 10 of the victims swept away by the massive landslide which occurred around 10:30 am Wednesday. 

The city has collected 162 DNA samples of family members who have come to search for their relatives and 37 samples from victims, according to an official statement sent to the Global Times on Sunday. Local authorities are continuing to verify the exact number of the missing, since the region is a popular summer vacation spot.

"Because of the diverse terrain, the rescue work can only be carried out in a small area. Heavy rain and secondary disasters are constantly occurring," said Chen Yangjie, vice mayor of the city. 

The landslide was triggered after days of torrential rain, causing death and destruction across large parts of Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. Meteorologists say there will be no let up for the stricken region, much of which was destroyed by the 2008 earthquake, as heavy rain is forecast for Monday and Tuesday. 

While 1,000 people were sent to search for survivors, finding any more victims alive is a slim prospect. "So far no sign of life has been detected at the scene," said Ma Kun, head of the firefighting division in Chengdu, Sichuan, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

About 1.5 million cubic meters of mud, rock and debris rushed down from about 100 meters onto the village, entombing at least 11 houses.

President Xi Jinping on Friday urged rescuers to spare no efforts in searching for people left missing in the landslide.

Temporary shelters have been set up to receive the affected villagers.

In Yunnan Province, as of Sunday, 31 people had been killed and two were missing in rainstorms and rainstorm-triggered disasters during the flood season this year.

Other areas of China also continue to count the toll from the severe storms. Eight tourists were killed and five others injured after a flood hit Paradise Valley in the Yao Autonomous County of Jinxiu in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Sunday afternoon.

In Yan'an, Shaanxi Province, 27 people died in disasters caused by heavy rains since the beginning of this month.

Central authorities have dispatched disaster survey and relief teams to rainstorm-hit regions in Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said in a statement on Sunday.

In the meantime, Soulik, the seventh typhoon of this year, moved further inland to East China's Jiangxi Province on Sunday after lashing Fujian Province on Saturday, bringing downpours and strong gales to the region.

Xinhua - Global Times

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