Flood kills 80 armed police officers in Fujian
(Xinhua/China Daily)
Updated: 2005-10-08 07:46

The death toll caused by mountain torrents that hit an armed police unit in East China's Fujian Province Sunday night rose to 80 on Friday, rescuers said.

Among the 57 people saved, 39 were wounded and hospitalized. Some of them have recovered. Rescuers are still searching for the 5 people who remain missing, the sources said.

Servicemen, policemen and local residents have been engaged in the rescue work over the past five days and have recovered 80 bodies.

The sudden downpour brought by Typhoon Longwang hit the unit stationed in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian Province, Sunday night, when mountain torrents dashed against two houses and washed away people inside.

The reason for the disaster is under investigation, the sources said.

1,247 lives claimed in flood season

Natural disasters have affected more than 201 million people - around one sixth of the population, according to the statistics from the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters released Friday.

Farmers carry their grain and belongs away from the flood diversion areas in Dujiatai and Caidain in Hubei province October 5, 2005. [newsphoto]

Floods and landslides have killed 1,247 people and left another 331 missing in China in the major flood season this year, a senior official said, adding that crops on at least 15 million hectares of farmland have been destroyed and 1.17 million houses ruined.