Rainstorm Kills 29 in NW ChinaThe death toll from the rainstorms and the later landslides in northwest China's Qinghai Province has reached 29, according to the latest reports from the provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Office.During the rainstorms 39 people were seriously injured and more than 400,000 local people were affected in their living conditions and daily life. The torrential rain, which lashed the provincial capital of Xining and the northern cities of Haidong and Haibei Sunday evening and early Monday morning, also destroyed more than 40 houses and swept away two trucks, four tractors, 20,000 kilograms of grain and over 50 domestic animals. Local meteorological sources said that rainfall in some regions exceeded 50.7 mm in half an hour, setting a record in the province. Communication services were interrupted for four hours because of the storm. Local highways were also seriously damaged, with an on-going project forcibly being stopped. The local government immediately sent rescue teams to the disaster-stricken areas. Servicemen also took an active part in the relief work. Grain worth 5 million yuan (602,000 U.S. dollars) has been delivered to the affected areas. The provincial meteorological bureau forecasted that Xining, Haidong and Haibei will experience hailstorms in a couple of days and the areas of Huangnan and Guoluo will again suffer from moderate to heavy rain. |
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