At least 10 dead, 23 injured in flash flood at China tourist site

A flash flood in China's northwestern Gansu province has claimed at least ten lives and injured 23 others. The disaster struck a tourist area in Weiyuan district on Sunday afternoon, following a period of intense, short-duration rainfall. Some tourists camping in the scenic area were caught by the rapidly rising waters.

By 6:00 PM local time, the provisional death toll stood at ten, with 23 injured. Police, firefighters, and other emergency teams were on the scene, continuing rescue operations. The Gansu Provincial Meteorological Bureau elevated its emergency response for rainfall to the second level at 7:30 PM. Several municipalities and prefectures within the province also activated or reinforced their local emergency measures.

Provincial meteorologists issued a red alert for geological disaster risks in certain areas, warning of a very high danger of collapses, landslides, and mudflows within the next 24 hours. Authorities urged caution due to the potential for flash floods in small and medium-sized rivers, as well as urban and rural flooding.

This incident adds to a series of natural disasters that have affected China this month. Heavy summer rains, typhoons, and landslides have resulted in dozens of fatalities across various provinces. Earlier in July, a landslide in Gansu caused 21 deaths, and rains associated with Typhoon Maysak led to at least 39 deaths in the southern region of Guangxi. Just last Friday, a sudden collapse in Shanxi province killed at least five people and injured three.