Death toll in China rises to 1,117

HEAVY rains lashed aremote section of northwestern China as the death toll from weekend flooding that triggered massive landslides jumped to 1,117, although the fading hopes of rescuers got a boost late on Tuesday night when a survivor was found in the debris.

The state-run Xinhua News Agency gave no immediate details on the survivor, found nearly four days after the disaster struck. Earlier yesterday, a 50-year-old man was rescued who had been trapped in knee-deep mud on the second floor of a hotel, Xinhua said.

Local officials were cited as saying at least 627 people were still missing.

The National Meteorological Centre warned there was a “relatively large” chance of landslides in the coming days, as heavier rain was expected.

Troops and rescue teams, joined by traumatised survivors, were increasingly turning to recovering bodies and seeing to the needs of the living.