Four people have died during mountain floods and mudslides caused by heavy rainfall in Xi’an, Northwest China’s Shaanxi Province on Friday evening, with rescue operations still underway as of Sunday morning.
Due to the impact of short-duration heavy rain, mountain floods and mudslides struck a village in Chang’an district in Xi’an around 6 pm on Friday, CNR reported on Sunday.
Preliminary investigations showed that two houses in the village were washed away, a with nearby roads, bridges, power supplies and other infrastructures damaged, leaving local residents partially cut off with the outside world.
Local media reported that as of Sunday Morning, four people had been confirmed dead, while 14 others remain missing.
The Xi’an detachment of the armed police force in Shaanxi deployed more than 100 personnel to the impacted area. Preliminary search and rescue operations remain underway.
As of Sunday morning, rescue forces have transferred 81 residents and 11 vehicles to safe locations, and are assisting with the search and recovery of four deceased villagers, with emergency workers scanning an area 65 kilometers in length along a nearby river.
According to a local villager surnamed Li (pseudonym), flooding and mudslides began following one or two hours of heavy rain on Friday afternoon. Two dwellings swept away by flood waters operated agritourism business, but there was yet to be confirmation whether guests were inside during flooding.
Local fire department, police and emergency management authorities are working to coordinate rescue efforts.
Upon receiving the report, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched a working group to the disaster site to assist with rescue and response efforts and have also mobilized a local fire and rescue team consisting of 207 personnel to carry out rescue operations.
(Global Times)
