Scores Dead, Thousands Missing After China Landslides

Torrential rain triggers flooding, mudslides in northwest province
By Marie Morris,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 8, 2010 1:46 PM CDT
Scores Dead, Thousands Missing After China Landslides
Premier Wen Jiabao inspects the landslide-hit region in Zhouqu county, Gansu province, northwest China, Aug. 8, 2010.   (AP Photo/Xinhua, Li Xueren)

More than 100 people are dead and 2,000 missing after heavy rains triggered flooding and landslides in a remote corner of northwest China. Tens of thousands of Gansu province residents were evacuated. Widespread power outages have slowed rescue operations, and sludge as much as 6 feet deep covers some main roads, reports the official Xinhua news agency. " Torrential rains began to fall at around 10 pm Saturday," said a Zhouqu County official. "Then there were mudslides and many people became trapped. "

" Now sludge has become the biggest hindrance to rescue operations," he continued. "It's too thick to walk or drive through ."
(More natural disaster stories.)

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