Death toll from flash flood in China rises to 25

A total of 25 people are confirmed to have died following a flash flood in a tourist area in north-western China.

A further 23 people were injured, the Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management said on Sunday. The authorities had initially reported 10 deaths.

The floods occurred on July 26 in Weiyuan County, Gansu Province.

Torrents of water surged through a valley popular with campers following heavy rain. The mud left behind was littered with fallen trees and wrecked cars, and roads were damaged. A total of 174 people were rescued.

Heavy rainfall is common in many parts of China in July and August. In mountainous regions in particular, heavy rain can cause streams and rivers to swell rapidly, triggering flash floods, landslides or mudslides.

Meanwhile, in the capital Beijing, the authorities issued warnings on Sunday of further severe weather. Heavy rain and thunderstorms were expected.

Warnings were also issued regarding flash floods, flooding and landslides.In mid-July, 51 people lost their lives in a major landslide in Chongqing, south-west China. Ten people were last reported as still missing there.