China extreme weather: floods and landslides

[lauhumku]

Aerial photographs show the devestation caused by the mudslide in Zhouqu, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,
Gansu Province, north-western China

The death toll from the massive mudslides in Zhouqu county that split a town virtually in two now exceeds 1,300 people,
with more than 400 still missing

China observed a national day of mourning on Sunday for the victims of the massive landslide. Flags across the country flew at half mast,
all public forms of entertainment were suspended and front pages of the country's main websites removed all colour from their pages


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[lauhumku]

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In southwestern China, authorities managed to evacuate all passengers from two train cars that dangled for several minutes over a muddy, rushing river before falling into the water. The train was travelling in Guanghan, Sichuan province, when it began shaking and then stopped moving, dining car supervisor Wang Baoning told China Central Television. Floodwaters had loosened piers on the Shitingjiang bridge. The two cars were hanging over the water in a "V" shape, but were still connected to the adjacent carriages, Wang said. It took more than 10 minutes to evacuate passengers from the cars...

"...Less than two minutes later, one carriage fell into the river. About 10 minutes after that, the other one fell in too," Wang said. There were no fatalities. The train cars were swept a short distance downstream and were almost completely submerged, trapped against the base of a bridge

Elsewhere in Sichuan, at least 15 people have been killed in mudslides in an area that is only just recovering from the
huge 2008 earthquake that left nearly 87,000 dead or missing


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[lauhumku]

Houses are buried in m&d after a flood-triggered landslide in Qingping Township of Mianzhu City, Sichuan Province

Rescue workers found four bodies in Puladi township of southwest China's Yunnan province, a day after a wall of m&d crashed through the mountain community, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Rains expected over the next few days would likely hamper efforts to find 88 people still listed as missing

The landslide in Puladi, a settlement in Yunnan province, was the latest of a succession of natural disasters to have struck China
this summer after torrential downpours unleashed floods and dislodged hillsides


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[lauhumku]

People walk in a street after flood waters receded in Huangzhu township of Chengxian county, Longnan Prefecture,
in northwest China's Gansu province

A car sits precariously on a bridge after it collapsed due to rising floodwaters in Huaiyuan, in southwest China's Sichuan province

Residents remove their belongings from the debris at the mudslide-hit Zhouqu town


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[lauhumku]

Tourists watch floodwaters gushing out of the Xiaolandi Dam during a flood-discharge and sand-washing operation of the Yellow River in Jiyuan city,
central China's Henan province

A rescuer carrying a child after heavy rains hit Yingxiu town

Flood waters pour out of newly-built houses in Yingxiu town - the epicentre of the Sichuan earthquake


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[lauhumku]

Villagers climb over rocks after heavy rains hit Yingxiu town in Wenchuan county

Villagers climb down rocks to access a road blocked by rain-triggered landslides in Wenchuan county


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