(TibetanReview.net, Aug22’22) – A total of 26 people have been confirmed dead, five still missing and 23 previously listed as missing found safe after a mountain flood triggered by heavy rainfall that began in the night of Aug 17 hit Datong (Tibetan: Serkhog) Hui and Tu autonomous county in Qinghai province, reported China’s official chinadaily.com.cn Aug 22.
As the name suggests, the county in this traditional Tibetan province of Amdo is populated mainly by Hui Chinese Muslims and Tu ethnic people who are of Mongol origin and follow the Tibetan Buddhist culture and traditions. It is located close to and part of the provincial capital Xining.
Over 6,000 residents in six villages in Datong have been affected by the disaster and some 1,800 people have been moved to temporary shelters, the report cited the county government as saying.
“I have never seen such a big flood. I get frightened just thinking about it,” Li Zhaowu, from Shadai village, who was among those searching for people, has said.
Fire and rescue workers were stated to have been searching for the missing, using rescue dogs and unmanned aerial vehicles, while efforts to restore transportation, communications and power were required.
Dozens of roads were still stated to be damaged.
The report said that starting at 10:25 pm Aug 17, heavy rainfall lashed Datong. By midnight on Aug 18, the downpour had triggered flash floods and mudslides and caused rivers to change course, affecting villages.