17 killed, 33 missing as heavy rains, floods batter northwestern, south China

ANKARA

Heavy rainfall triggered floods and landslides in northwest and south China, killing at least 17 people and leaving 33 missing, state-run media reported on Friday.

Ten people died and 33 others went missing in northwest China's Gansu province, according to the Xinhua news agency.

Heavy rainfall battered central parts of Gansu province on Thursday night, affecting several areas, including Lanzhou, Linxia, and Baiyin.

In Yuzhong County, the downpour triggered mountain floods, stranding residents and disrupting power and communications in the Xinglong Mountain area, where over 4,000 people in four villages remain cut off.

Torrential rain, peaking at 195 millimeters (7.6 inches), also caused mudslides blocking roads.

Authorities issued a red flood alert and launched a Level III emergency response.

Separately, seven people were reported missing on Wednesday after a landslide caused by heavy rains inundated 14 people in southern China's Guangdong province and were confirmed dead by authorities on Friday.

During the following hours of the landslide, the authorities managed to save seven of the 14 people buried alive.

Multiple houses were also damaged during the incident.

Last week, at least 30 people died in China's capital, Beijing, after heavy rainfall pounded the city, causing widespread flooding, infrastructure damage, and mass evacuations.

Recently, continuous heavy rainfalls have occurred in eastern, northern, and northeastern regions of China, triggering floods and geological disasters and causing heavy casualties in Beijing, Hebei, Jilin, and Shandong.