18 fatalities, 36 missing after flash flood hits Qinghai, China

Image credit: CNS (stillshot)
The death toll from destructive flash flooding in northwest China’s Qinghai Province has reached 18 and there are 36 people still missing, local officials said late August 18 (LT). This is up from 4 fatalities and 27 missing reported earlier today.
As reported by the emergency department, a sudden rainstorm triggered a landslide that diverted a river in Datong Hui and Tu Autonomous County at 07:03 LT on August 18 (23:03 UTC on August 17), affecting 1 517 households in 6 villages or about 6 200 people.
More than 2 000 people are involved in emergency rescue and relief work.
Emergency authorities described the event as a ‘mountain torrent.’
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