Rescuers search for missing personnel in Zhouqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Gansu Province, Aug. 8, 2010. At least 96 people have been confirmed dead in landslides triggered by torrential rains in Zhouqu County. (XinhuaWang Yanjun)
The death toll from rain-triggered landslides in Zhouqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province, has risen to 127, said the Ministry of Civil Affairs Sunday afternoon.
By 400 p.m., the landslides had left 127 dead, 76 injured and nearly 2,000 missing, according to reports to the ministry from Gansu Provincial Civil Affairs Department.
About 45,000 people were relocated and about 120 households or 300 rooms were levelled, according to the reports.
China National Committee for Disaster Reduction, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Civil Affairs decided to lift the national disaster relief response level to grade II, the second highest level in disaster relief.
Under the grade, the information collected by the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters must be reported to the State Council within two hours.
