In China’s Sichuan province, heavy rainstorms pounded Jinyang county, resulting in four confirmed deaths and 48 individuals unaccounted for, as announced by local authorities on Wednesday.
A high-ranking official from the provincial public security department informed the press that the intense rainstorms triggered a flash flood at a construction site along a highway.
On Monday, authorities detained five individuals associated with the construction company and a labor service provider. They face accusations of either neglecting to report the incident or deliberately providing false information.
Following police investigations, it was determined that 201 people were present at the construction site when the disaster struck. Among them, 149 managed to escape the hazardous situation.
Even as the police investigation continues, efforts persist to locate the missing individuals.
In the early hours of August 21, a sudden flash flood swept through Jinyang due to a short burst of heavy rainfall. This flood washed away the improvised shelters of workers at the steel bar processing area operated by the Shudao Group. The group was engaged in a highway construction project near the lower sections of the Lugaolin River, leading to the tragic loss of life.
With more than 2,000 participants, search and rescue operations are ongoing, and the remains of four victims were recovered between August 23 and 27.
A police inquiry has exposed that those in charge of project safety and those on duty on August 21 disregarded rainstorm warnings and evacuation alerts sent by local flood prevention and emergency management departments. No measures were implemented to evacuate the workers from the site before the accident occurred.
