Mountain torrent death toll rises to 99
15/6/2005 7:28
The death toll in the mountain torrents that swept Shalan Township of
Ning'an City in northeastern Heilongjiang Province last Friday rose to 99
yesterday, while the whereabouts of 10 other students are still unknown.
The
victims include 95 students of Shalan Central Primary School, the local
government said.
Wang tongtang, secretary general of the nearby city of
Mudanjiang, said 161 pupils, who survived the fatal disaster, went back to
classes yesterday.
Rescue operation and disaster relief work are continuing,
said the official.
The local government has allocated 65,000 rations of food
and 35,000 kilograms of flour to the disaster-hit people.
The local health
department has organized 21 medical teams to the area in case of plagues after
the mountain torrent.
Meanwhile, the governor of Heilongjiang, Zhang Zuoji,
said he was willing for any sanction from the central government since his
subordinates had not performed their duties in disaster relief.
Zhang made
the remarks after a meeting on Sunday evening that was attended by reporters and
officials from Beijing, the province and Ning'an.
Zhang said he was willing
to face any disciplinary penalties from the central government.
"I ask the
central government to give me sanctions," he said, claiming that the provincial
government, with himself as the head, should be held responsible.
"As the
chief leader of the provincial government, I would do that," he
said.
According to earlier reports, some local villagers complained that when
the flash flood occurred, they reported to the Shalan Township government and
the local police station but to no avail.
Xinhua
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