Landslide in S. China kills 13, 46 missing

0 Comments | Asian Political News, August 19, 2002

BEIJING, Aug. 16 Kyodo

A giant landslide in the southern Chinese province of Yunnan has killed 13 people and left 46 missing, the state-run China Daily newspaper reported Friday.

Five people were also severely injured in the landslide early Wednesday morning, in which a flow of rocks and trees dislodged by successive rains slammed into 10 villages in Xinping County, 200 kilometers from the provincial capital of Kunming, the report said.

Meanwhile, 20 people are still missing following a Monday evening landslide in Yanjin County, also in Yunnan, which killed nine, the report said.

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters called on local officials to strengthen disaster prevention efforts in hilly areas prone to landslides following successive heavy rains since the end of July.

In addition to Yunnan, other provinces to be hit by landslides during the past few months of China's flood season include Shaanxi, Fujian and Hunan, the report said.