Over 100 dead, missing in China floods
By IANSSunday, August 1, 2010
BEIJING - Floods and rain-triggered landslides have left more than 100 people dead or missing in northeast China’s Jilin province over the last 10 days, officials said Sunday.
About 600,000 residents have been evacuated while nearly 37,000 houses have collapsed in the province. Besides, the floods have cut roads and disrupted communications and water supplies, Xinhua reported.
“The flood is unprecedented. Its devastation is appalling,” said Sun Jingyuan, a top official in Antu County, Korean Autonomous Prefecture of Yanbian in southeast Jilin.
Soldiers managed to reach the isolated town of Liangjiang Saturday night to help 10,000 residents evacuate, Sun said.
According to official estimates, the province’s direct economic losses due to natural disasters in the last two months may reach 9.15 billion yuan ($1.35 billion).
