Ten Dead in Southwestern China Floods, Over 21,000 Residents Evacuated

Powerful rains that hit southwestern areas of China brought loss of life and significant material damage, forcing authorities to evacuate more than 21,000 residents as a safety measure.

The preliminary toll reports 10 dead, as the large amounts of water caused building collapses and landslides.

As a result of the high intensity of the rains in regions such as Chengdu and Zigong, emergency forces relocated a total of 21,784 individuals to safe areas.

In Sichuan province, five lives were lost when water accumulation on the roof of a building led to the collapse of a wall, during a party organized for students who had successfully passed their university entrance exams.

Three other victims were recorded in an apartment in Changning County, Sichuan, while two people died in a hospital where 17 people injured in this event were being treated.

The Sichuan administration has activated alarm systems for powerful downpours and the risk of natural disasters, while the floods have isolated numerous roads in the mountainous areas of Garze and Aba.

In another development, in Guangxi province, investigators are analyzing the dynamics of a landslide that occurred at a construction site. Five workers were trapped under masses of mud and were pulled out unconscious by rescue teams.

The Guangxi region, like most of southwestern Chinese territories, is experiencing a season of extremely intense rainfall since the start of summer.