15 dead and 19,000 buildings destroyed in China after heavy rain, floods hit Shanxi coal region

Flooding hit the coal-rich region during a nationwide energy crunch but most of the 60 coal mines that temporarily closed are reported back to normal operation

At least 1.75 million residents across the province were affected by the floods, with 120,000 safely evacuated, says local emergency official

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Rescuers drain off floodwaters after heavy rain at a flooded area in Jiexiu in the city of Jinzhong in China's northern Shanxi province on October 11, 2021. Photo: AFP

Published: 12:54pm, 12 Oct 2021Updated: 8:56pm, 12 Oct 2021

At least 15 people have died during unseasonably heavy rain and flooding in northern China’s Shanxi province earlier this month, local officials said on Tuesday, after the normally dry region received three months’ rain in one week.

The flooding hit the coal-rich landlocked region during a nationwide energy crunch, and after record floods killed more than 300 people in central Henan province in July.

An aerial photo taken on October 11, 2021 shows rescuers digging a spillway with an excavator to release floodwaters in Jiexiu in the city of Jinzhong in China's northern Shanxi province. Photo: AFP

At least 60 coal mines in the province – one of China’s top coal-producing regions – had temporarily closed because of the floods, but now all but four have returned to normal operation, local emergency management official Wang Qirui said at a press conference.

Wang said around 19,000 buildings were destroyed by the extreme weather, with 18,000 others “seriously damaged”.

“Fifteen people died due to the disaster, and three people remain missing,” he said.