China landslide death toll hits 700 as flooding feared

ENGINEERS battled yesterday to drain an unstable lake created by China’s deadliest landslide in decades, fearing it could burst and swamp devastated areas where people are still hunting for survivors.

At least 702 people died in north-western Gansu province when a torrent of mud and rocks engulfed swathes of the small town of Zhouqu at the weekend, and another 1,042 are missing, an emergency relief official, Tian Baozhong said.

Officials have warned for years that heavy tree- felling and rapid hydro development were making the mountain area around Zhouqu more vulnerable to land slips, government reports show.