China Water: July 8, 2008: 15 dead in SW China landslides.

Landslides in Hubei and in Yunnan.



http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hist3_LSG0eoJOSTfZ0tPP_6fEhA

15 dead or missing in landslides in southwest China

23 hours ago

BEIJING (AFP) — Up to 15 people were dead or missing after torrential rains in southwest China triggered landslides in mountainous areas toppling houses and burying villagers, state press said on Tuesday.

Nine people were confirmed dead and six others were missing since the rains last week set off mud and rock slides engulfing the Liangshan prefecture in Sichuan province, Xinhua said.

Fatalities could rise as rescuers sought to dig out at least six villagers buried beneath the debris of five toppled houses in one area, the report said.

Six of the confirmed fatalities occurred in Long'en village which was swamped by 223 millimetres of rain (8.9 inches) over the five-day period, the report said.

China is deluged by torrential rains each summer as rivers coming down from its mountainous western regions swell and flood rural farmlands in the east, killing hundreds every year.

At least 12 people were killed in the central Hubei province and six in southwestern Yunnan due to torrenital rains over the weekend, Xinhua said.

More than 250 people died when torrential rains and flooding swept China last month, the China Daily reported over the weekend.