Four people are missing and fifteen are dead after torrential rain struck the Chinese metropolis of Chongqing on Wednesday, according to local authorities and state media.
According to the state news agency Xinhua, which cited local authorities who confirmed the death toll to AFP, “the latest round of torrential rains since Monday had killed 15 people and left four others missing in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality as of 7 a.m. Wednesday.
More than 130,000 people in 19 districts and counties have had their lives disrupted by the torrential rains, which were primarily felt in the regions around the Yangtze River.
The confirmation of casualties comes after authorities on Tuesday issued a warning for disasters brought on by rain in wide portions of central and southwestern China.
Additionally, according to Xinhua, President Xi Jinping instructed that “authorities at all levels must give top priority to ensuring people’s safety and property”.
According to the news source, “Xi stressed that top authorities at all levels must take the initiative in combating the floods, prioritize the security and property of the populace, and work to reduce all kinds of damages.
Workers on Tuesday found that a closed-off railway bridge on the outskirts of Chongqing had collapsed after it was “damaged by the impact of mountain torrents,” according to state broadcaster CCTV. This is a sign of how widespread the damage is.
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