26 dead, 5 missing in flash floods in Qinghai

The search for people missing after a mountain flood triggered by heavy rainfall on Wednesday night is still ongoing in Datong Hui and Tu autonomous county in Qinghai province.

As of 4 pm Sunday, 26 people had been confirmed dead, five were still missing and 23 previously listed as missing had been found safe, according to the county government.

Over 6,000 residents in six villages in Datong have been affected by the disaster and some 1,800 people have been moved to temporary shelters, according to the county.

Li Zhaowu, from Shadai village, was among those searching for people.

"I have never seen such a big flood. I get frightened just thinking about it," he was quoted as saying by Jimu News, a media outlet in Hubei province.

The Qinghai Provincial Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development sent 20 housing safety experts to the six villages in Datong to carry out emergency disaster damage assessments, local media reported.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Emergency Management and the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters sent a special team to the area.

Fire and rescue workers have been searching for the missing using rescue dogs and unmanned aerial vehicles, the ministry said, adding that efforts to restore transportation, communications and power were required.

By Friday, Qinghai's provincial transport bureau had finished repairing a bridge in Qingshan town. But according to the bureau, dozens of roads were still damaged.

On Thursday, the central government earmarked 50 million yuan ($7.35 million) for the rescue work in Qinghai.

Starting at 10:25 pm Wednesday, heavy rainfall lashed Datong. By midnight on Thursday, the downpour had triggered flash floods and mudslides and caused rivers to change course, affecting villages.

Xinhua contributed to this story.