Little hope for more survivors of China floods

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

ZHOUQU, China (AP) — Heavy rains Wednesday lashed a remote section of northwestern China where weekend flooding killed at least 702 people, as hopes of finding more survivors faded and crews worked to stave off outbreaks of disease.
More than 1,000 people were still listed as missing in the disaster, with mud, stones and debris covering many houses.

With the chances of finding more survivors falling by the hour, troops and rescue teams joined by traumatized survivors turned to recovering bodies and seeing to the needs of the living. Clean drinking water was a primary concern, with most local sources destroyed or too polluted to use.

Rain was expected to grow heavier in coming days, with up to 3 ½ inches forecast for Friday, the National Meteorological Center reported. The chance of more landslides was "relatively large," it said.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2010-08-11-china-floods-wednesday_N.htm

[pampango]

1. China flood fears along North Korea border

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-10892865

China has suspended traffic on the Yalu river, which marks the border with North Korea, because of record rainfall in an area already badly hit by floods. The Yalu river in north-east China has swollen to critical levels after two weeks of unprecedented rainfall, Chinese state media reported.

It has led to fears of mass flooding in North Korea, which, according to its official news agency, suffered heavy flood damage in July with more than 5,000 houses destroyed.

The Korean Central News Agency said 360 buildings, including clinics, bridges and factories, had also been destroyed and huge swathes of farmland rendered useless by flash floods. There have been no reports of serious injuries or fatalities, but such information is difficult to verify outside the reclusive state.

A team of Red Cross workers in North Korea's South Hamgyong province told the BBC that they had witnessed widespread destruction. The Red Cross had also heard reports from South Phyongan province that the water system was severely damaged by a reported landslide, leaving an entire city without clean drinking water.