Chinese media turns black-and-white to mourn mudslide deaths

BEIJING - Online versions of major Chinese newspapers including China Daily, Global Times, People’s Daily and Shanghai Daily wore a black-and-white look Sunday to mourn the over 1,200 deaths in mudslides in Zhouqu county.

The mudslides hit Zhouqu county in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu province Aug 8, leaving 1,239 people dead, while 505 people are still missing.

The banner on top of the China Daily website read “Tears for victims of Zhouqu; Sympathy for families”, while that of the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China, People’s Daily, read: “Mourn for Zhouqu mudslide victims”. The People’s Daily banner also featured a picture of earthern lamps placed in the shape of a heart.

All news websites featured black-and-white photographs of the national flag flying at half-mast and people lighting candles in memory of the victims.