NE China mudslide kills two

HARBIN - At least two people have been confirmed dead and four others went missing after a flood-triggered mudslide struck a township in northeast China, local authorities said Wednesday.

The swollen rivers of Banyuan and Langxiang caused Tuesday morning mountain torrents and mudslide in Langxiang township, Tieli city of Heilongjiang province, incurring a widespread blackout and disrupting telecommunications in the township, the authorities said.

The rescue is under way.

The provincial water conservancy department said, all big rivers in the province, including the Heilong River, the boundary river of China and Russia, saw major flooding due to a week long of heavy downpours.

Official figures showed that the flooding has toppled down 28,000 houses, inundated 1.8 million hectares of farmland and damaged harvests in 320,000 hectares of farmland.