Rescue workers find family of six dead in landslide in eastern China, severe weather warning extended

BEIJING (AP) — A family of six was found dead in Fujian province, state media reported Saturday, bringing the death toll from severe weather to a new high after rains caused landslides in the region, despite authorities warning of even worse storms to come.

The six people, who had previously been reported missing, were found dead in a temple near their home by rescue workers in Fujian’s Shanghang county after a days-long search, the state-backed Hongxing news agency reported. They had sought shelter in the temple because it was on higher ground, but the building was toppled by a landslide, killing the family.

On Friday, authorities said 47 people had died in neighboring Guangdong province, where flooding of historic proportions occurred as a result of the rains. The weather damaged more than a hundred bridges, inundated farmland and destroyed roads connecting rural communities.

The heaviest rains occurred from Sunday to Tuesday. Trees fell and houses collapsed. Authorities estimated the damage at several billion dollars.

China’s National Meteorological Center issued a warning of more extreme weather conditions for several provinces in the south of the country on Saturday, extending Friday’s warning as well as for some areas in the north.

Hail and heavy thunderstorms are expected in the central Chinese provinces of Henan and Anhui, as well as in the coastal province of Jiangsu and the southern province of Guizhou.

In the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, the railway canceled several trains over the weekend due to heavy rain.

Last week, heavy rains caused landslides and floods in southern China’s Fujian and Guangxi provinces. In Guangxi, a student died when he fell into a river swollen by the rain.

The Associated Press