Corpses afloat in car parks, tunnel: China floods death toll rises to 302

Authorities confirmed Monday that more than 300 people died in recent floods in central China, three times the number previously reported.

According to the province administration of Henan, 302 people died and 50 are still missing.

The majority of the casualties were in Zhengzhou, the province capital, where 292 people died and 47 were missing.

Officials announced during a press conference in Zhengzhou that ten other people perished in three other cities.

In Xinxiang city, seven people were killed, with three more still missing, while two people were killed in Pingdingshan and one in Luohe.

Hou Hong, the mayor of Zhengzhou, claimed 39 people had been found dead in basement car parks, and six more had drowned in the cross-city tunnel, bringing the total number of persons killed in the tube to six.



(AFP Photo)

In late July, record-breaking rainstorms wreaked havoc on Henan Province in central China, overflowing reservoirs, spilling riverbanks, and wreaking havoc on public transportation and roadways in key towns.

In only three days, more than 600mm of rain poured in Zhengzhou, about an average year's worth.

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Authorities said that about 625,000 acres of crops were destroyed and have estimated losses at more than 90 billion yuan ($14 billion). About 1.5 million people were evacuated because of the rains and flooding.

The central government has set up an investigation team to evaluate the disaster response, summarize the lessons from it and hold accountable anyone guilty of dereliction of duty, Chinese media said.

(With inputs from agencies)