36 killed, hundreds injured in new China flooding

[OhioChick]

Source: USA Today

Posted 26m ago

BEIJING (AP) — At least 36 people have died and 23 others are missing in fresh flooding from torrential rains in China's Gansu province, the latest in a string of natural disasters to strike China.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported that the deaths came Monday from flooding in Longnan city near Zhouqu. Zhouqu is where at least 1,254 people were killed as a mudslide triggered by heavy rain crashed through the city on Aug. 8. The government says another 490 people are still missing from that disaster.

Since Aug. 11, heavy rains have pelted several counties in Longnan city, triggering landslides, Xinhua said. It said the latest flooding left 295 people injured and more than 6,000 homes collapsed. Flooding has cut off electricity and damaged roads.

In Zhouqu on Tuesday, workers used bulldozers and cranes to dig and search for the missing as rains threatened to hinder rescue efforts, Xinhua reported.




Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2010-08-16-china-floods_N.htm

[Ex Lurker]

1. one of the major newspapers ran a series of pictures from one of the towns hit by the floods

it appeared to have been built entirely in the floodplain of a steep mountain river. Bad environmental planning has consequences.

[4_TN_TITANS]

3. Bad planning or poor education...

I've used what I learned from college geology to evaluate every place I live before I live there. The professor taught us not to choose flood plains, fault lines, near volcanos, etc.

[aquart]

4. And yet, my professors told a story of yet another professor.

Also of geology. He invited my professors to visit him in his house, built out from a California canyon wall.

"But this is on a faultline!" My professors exclaimed.

"I know," said the other professor. "But the view!"

Sometimes they do it even when they know it's bad for them.

[Turborama]

2. Mudslides kill at least 15 in Sichuan

(AFP) – 3 hours ago

BEIJING — At least 15 people were killed in mudslides that ploughed into an area of China that was devastated by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, state media said Tuesday, as rain wreaked more havoc on the nation.

Rescuers pulled out the 15 bodies from several landslides that hit Saturday in Wenchuan county -- the epicentre of the 2008 quake in the southwestern province of Sichuan, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

A total of 31 people had been reported missing in the mudslides. Another nine locals were injured, the report said.

Wenchuan is only just recovering from the devastating earthquake that hit Sichuan in May 2008, leaving nearly 87,000 dead or missing.

Full article: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jjvLdzMqqpQxRsAM_0B9QqiTbrJA

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My heart goes out to all those have lost/are losing loved ones during these continuously devastating floods. Let's hope the worst is over. The trouble is, the monsoon season in that region doesn't finish until next month.