The death toll from the flood that occurred earlier this week in
Wangmo, southwest China's Guizhou Province, has risen to 30, and 24
people are still missing, officials reported on Friday.
Wang Zhibin, party secretary of Wangmo County, said 165,260
people were affected by the floods that also caused 1 billion
yuan(US$125 million) in economic damage.
More than 2,400 houses collapsed and 1,500 hectares of farmland
were damaged, Wang said.
Police, soldiers and local officials were sent to join residents
in disaster relief work. The search for the missing is
continuing.
A local village official named Yang Changxiong has been
proclaimed a hero for saving 15 trapped villagers and organizing
the evacuation of his village.
Sudden downpours hit Wangmo County around 10 p.m. on Monday and
continued for hours, causing flash floods in this mountainous
region.
(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2006)