On August 19, Chinese state media reported that at least 13 people have died due to heavy rain in the northern part, while 5 people are still missing. The rainfall is forecast to show no signs of abating, raising concerns about the risk of flooding and landslides.
In Nghe Da Tu city in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, three bodies were found in floodwaters, while three others went missing near the Hoang Ha riverbank, about 70km away.
Rescue forces are trying to find these people. According to the meteorological agency, the rainfall in less than 24 hours in Ordos exceeded 204mm, double the average for the whole month of August.
Previously, a flash flood occurred after the river overflowed the riverbank in the grassland near Ba Ngan Nao Nhi city, about 350km northwest of Ngac Nhi Da Tu, sweeping 13 people away to camp. At least 10 people were killed, 1 person was rescued, and the whereabouts of 2 people are still unknown.
The flood-affected area is also near Bao Dau city, China's important center for rare earth exploitation. Experts say that the increasing extreme rain and flooding are related to climate change, creating a major challenge for the degraded disaster prevention system, while causing economic losses of up to billions of dollars and affecting the lives of millions of people.
