Five people have been placed under criminal detention on suspicion of failing to report or providing false information regarding flooding on August 21 in the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, which left four people dead and 48 missing, local authorities said at a press conference on Wednesday.
A surge of heavy rain last week triggered a natural disaster at a highway construction site along a river in Jinyang county in Sichuan’s Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture.
A total of 201 people were present at the highway construction site when the disaster struck, of which 149 escaped, four were killed, and 48 remain out of contact, local authorities confirmed, saying rescue efforts are still underway.
Jinyang county is surrounded by mountains, with the highest elevation reaching 4,076 meters and the Jinsha River across the east of the county.
“Jinyang county sees heavy rain every year and geological disasters such as flash floods do occur,” a local villager told media, adding that the construction site destroyed by the flood was built near the river because the surrounding terrain was steep and there were not many flat places.
Prior to the disaster, local flood control and emergency departments issued multiple alerts and reminders to the construction site based on weather forecasts and rainstorm warnings. The safety foreman in charge of the site and personnel on duty confirmed that they had received the warnings, but did not organize workers to evacuate prior to floodwaters hitting the area.
In the aftermath of the disaster, search and rescue teams also identified discrepancies in the number of missing individuals reported by the construction company.
According to the instructions and requirements issued by the central government, the Ministry of Emergency Management sent a working group to the site to oversee search and rescue work. Local rescue forces from Sichuan Province are also actively working on rescue efforts.
Liangshan prefecture launched a three-level flood control emergency response immediately after the disaster. More than 2,000 firefighters, medical workers and other rescuers rushed to the scene to participate in the search and rescue of the missing.
Local authorities also noted at the press conference on Wednesday that it would continue to search for the missing and deal with the aftermath of the victims, as well as closely guard against secondary disasters and resolutely prevent casualties.
At present, five people involved in the matter have been detained by local police, pending further investigation.
(Global Times)
