A flash flood triggered by intense short-duration rainfall in Weiyuan county, Northwest China’s Gansu Province, killed 10 people and injured 23 on Sunday. Four rounds of search and rescue operations had been conducted, according to media reports.
The flood struck Shuangshimen valley in Huichuan township at around 2 pm on Sunday, after heavy rain upstream caused water levels to surge, trapping nearby campers and sweeping away vehicles parked along the riverbank. Local authorities immediately deployed emergency, firefighting, health and tourism personnel to carry out rescue operations and evacuations, according to China Central Television (CCTV) News.
A total of 305 firefighters, 68 fire engines and four search-and-rescue dogs were sent to the scene, with 247 stranded people evacuated or relocated.
Following the disaster, China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched a working group to guide the response and activated a level-IV emergency response for flood control in Gansu, according to chinanews.com.cn.
A witness recalled that the weather changed with extraordinary speed around noon. “Within just over 10 seconds, torrential rain began pouring down, accompanied by dense hail,” the witness said. Water levels in rivers near the scenic area rose rapidly, and vehicles parked along the riverbank were swept away by the floodwaters.
Global Times
