China flood kills 25; foreign media questions disaster's cause

A flash flood in the Shuangshimen Valley area of China's Gansu Province on August 26th claimed the lives of 25 people. The incident has prompted foreign media to question the nature of the disaster, debating whether it was purely natural or exacerbated by human factors.

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has initiated a "supervised investigation and assessment" of the disaster. This mechanism involves upper-level government and administrative departments overseeing key cases through public means, with a deadline for investigation and rectification. Failure to complete the process on time will trigger accountability procedures.

Deutsche Welle (DW) Chinese reported on the event with the headline, "Natural Disaster or Man-Made Calamity? Gansu Shuangshimen Scenic Area Flood Kills 25." DW's report, compiling media accounts, noted that the flood occurred in a popular paid "influencer" scenic area, a favorite spot for summer hikers and campers. Tourists who escaped the flood told media that over 200 people and approximately 60 vehicles were present when the heavy rain, lasting about half an hour, began. Only about 10 vehicles managed to escape.

Multiple interviewees told The Paper that there were no security patrols within the scenic area, and no prior warnings were issued by the景区 (scenic area management). However, China News Weekly reported that before the disaster, local meteorological and emergency management bureaus had issued three consecutive warnings for heavy rainfall and flash floods. The scenic area's management committee received these warnings, but the "three lines of defense" failed to prevent the accident.

Xinhua reported that according to relevant regulations for "Temporary Measures for Natural Disaster Investigation and Assessment," the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters is supervising the investigation and assessment. It has requested the Gansu Provincial Government to "promptly organize disaster investigation and assessment in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, and rules, promote the improvement of disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief capabilities, and effectively protect the safety of people's lives and property."

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Natural disaster or man-made calamity? Gansu Shuangshimen Scenic Area Flood Kills 25.