School flood death toll: 117
2005-06-21 11:06
Beijing - The death toll from a devastating flash flood at a school in northeastern China rose to 117 on Tuesday after eight more bodies were found, state media reported on Tuesday.
The flood struck the mountainous Shalan township in Heilongjiang province on June 10, submerging its low-lying elementary school under 2m of water.
In addition to the 109 victims reported on Monday when the rescue operation ended, eight more corpses had been added to the toll, Xinhua news agency cited local government spokesperson Wang Tongtang as saying.
In all, 105 schoolchildren and 12 adults died.
In the wake of the disaster Heilongjiang governor Zhang Zuoji instructed all primary and middle schools in the province to conduct lessons on emergency evacuation procedures.
The government has also announced plans to establish a new residential area on higher land to relocate homeless flood victims. Many people affected by the disaster are still in tents or other emergency shelters, Xinhua said.
Torrential rains and floods have left hundreds of people dead and countless homeless around China since the rainy season started last month.
- AFP