Day of mourning for China flood victims

Death toll rises as northeastern city of Fushun declares national day of mourning.

Guangdong Floods
Rescuers delivered relief supplies from a helicopter in Shantou in Guangdong province [AFP]

A river flood caused by torrential rains has killed 76 people and left another 88 missing in a northeastern Chinese city.

The official Xinhua News agency announced the figures on Saturday during a day of mourning for the victims.

A siren wailed, and mourners stood in silence in a memorial service held in the city of Fushun, Xinhua said.

A statement by the Fushun city government declared Saturday as a citywide day of condolence and ordered that all public entertainment activities should be halted for the day.

Located in a mountainous area, Fushun has been hit hard by floods ravaging China’s northeastern provinces this month. Dozens more have been reported killed elsewhere in the region by the floods.

Luan Qingwei, Fushun’s mayor, told the memorial service that the flood was the worst for decades for the city, where a river cuts through the business district, according to Xinhua.

On Wednesday, heavy rains brought on by a Typhoon triggered landslides in southern China that killed dozens of people and left more homeless.

The number of dead and missing in China as a result of the recent flooding has now passed 200.

Source: News Agencies