![]() ![]() The city of Zhengzhou was hit by 20 centimetres of rain in one hour. Six died in a roadway tunnel from which more than 200 vehicles were removed after it was drained, according to Chinese media reports. ( AP: Dake Kang)Īuthorities said 189 people were killed by floods and mudslides, 54 in house collapses and 39 in underground areas such as basements and garages and including those on subway Line 5. In the aftermath of the disaster there was widespread suspicion the death toll was higher than reported, as residents posted of missing loved ones online and authorities blocked access to disaster sites, including for temporary memorials.Central China's Henan province is not the only region on alert as a typhoon barrels towards the country's east coast. The statement, posted in English on the state council’s website, is a rare admission of officials’ failure. The overflowing of the Guojiazui reservoir was a law-breaking incident, the report said, but did not provide details. “They failed to take the primary responsibility in flood prevention and disaster relief, and seriously lacked risk awareness regarding extreme-weather disasters,” according to the investigators, who also pointed out problems such as the practices of formalities for formalities’ sake and bureaucratism.” The flooding of the station and road tunnel were “liability accidents”, with the disaster exacerbated by lagging construction of urban drainage infrastructure and weak links in the emergency management, early warning and response systems. ![]() The weaknesses also exist to varying degrees in many parts of the country, noted, urging close attention and solid deeds to rectify them.”Įight officials have been detained by police and another 89 disciplined. “Although the disaster was triggered by extreme weather, many problems and deficiencies were exposed. Local party and government officials “did not truthfully report the real cause of death, and illegally used post-disaster reconstruction subsidy funds to compensate the families of the deceased”, the official said. The investigation lead said 23 people died in mudslides and flooding in Xingyang, and five in an explosion caused by the floods at Dengfeng power plant. In a separate news conference, investigation officials said the concealed cases included 75 in Zhengzhou city, 49 in the counties, and 15 in townships. It did not give details of how many were new cases. The report gave an official final death toll of 398, with more than 95% occurring in the city of Zhengzhou. ![]() The officials were supposed to make daily reports but had “concealed or delayed the reporting of those killed and missing in the disaster”, it said. In the weeks following the floods the death toll sat at 99 for several days before officials announced a toll of 302 dead and 50 missing.īut in a statement posted online late on Friday, the state council accused city officials of having “deliberately impeded and withheld reports of up to 139 cases”. ![]() The Henan flood investigators lead was scathing in his assessment of local officials, who he accused of “seriously lacking risk awareness”, and having “paralysed thinking” when it came to heeding warnings of abnormally heavy rainfall. Numerous officials have been sacked over Covid-19 outbreaks, and in June at least five officials were arrested after 21 runners died during the Gansu Ultramarathon. Party and local officials in China often face punishment for actual and perceived failures, including being removed from their roles or in extreme cases, prosecution. China’s highest government body, the state council, said it had reviewed an investigation into the disaster, and determined local and provincial officials and authorities to be “guilty of negligence and dereliction of duty, especially considering the casualties in the subway and the tunnel that were not supposed to take place”. ![]()
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