Torrential Rains Have Claimed More Than 150 Lives in China in the Past 2 Months 

In this aerial photo released by Xinhua News Agency, the impact of flash floods and mudslides can be seen near Ridi Village, Kangding City, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southwestern China's Sichuan Province on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024. (Liu Kun/Xinhua via AP)
In this aerial photo released by Xinhua News Agency, the impact of flash floods and mudslides can be seen near Ridi Village, Kangding City, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southwestern China's Sichuan Province on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024. (Liu Kun/Xinhua via AP)
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Torrential Rains Have Claimed More Than 150 Lives in China in the Past 2 Months 

In this aerial photo released by Xinhua News Agency, the impact of flash floods and mudslides can be seen near Ridi Village, Kangding City, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southwestern China's Sichuan Province on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024. (Liu Kun/Xinhua via AP)
In this aerial photo released by Xinhua News Agency, the impact of flash floods and mudslides can be seen near Ridi Village, Kangding City, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southwestern China's Sichuan Province on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024. (Liu Kun/Xinhua via AP)

Landslides and flooding have killed more than 150 people across southern China in the past two months as torrential rainstorms batter the region.

In the latest disaster, a flood and mudslide early Saturday in a mountainous Tibetan area in Sichuan province left eight people dead with 19 others still unaccounted for, state media said.

The early morning disaster destroyed homes and killed at least six people in the village of Ridi, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Two more people died and eight are missing there after a bridge between two tunnels collapsed and four vehicles plummeted.

China is in the middle of its peak flood season, which runs from mid-July to mid-August, and Chinese policymakers have repeatedly warned that the government needs to step up disaster preparations as severe weather becomes more common.

An annual government report on climate said last month that historical data shows the frequency of both extreme precipitation and heat has risen in China, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

There have been several deadly rainstorms since June.

Days of intense rain from the aftermath of Typhoon Gaemi, which weakened to a tropical storm after making landfall in China about 10 days ago, killed at least 48 people in Hunan province and left 35 others missing last week.

Authorities said Friday that the death toll from an earlier storm in July that knocked out a section of a bridge in Shaanxi province in the middle of the night had risen to 38 people, with another 24 still missing. At least 25 cars fell into a raging river that washed some of them far downstream.

In mid-June, at least 47 died from flooding and mudslides after extremely heavy rain in Guangzhou province. Six more people died in neighboring Fujian province.

Landslides and flooding have also taken hundreds of lives elsewhere in Asia this summer, including a devastating storm that killed more than 200 people in south India last week.



Ukraine Says Russia Hit Vessel Carrying Ukrainian Grain to Egypt in Black Sea

A view shows a damaged civilian cargo vessel, carrying wheat grain to Egypt, which was hit by a Russian missile strike after it left Ukrainian maritime border in the Black Sea, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, September 12, 2024. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS
A view shows a damaged civilian cargo vessel, carrying wheat grain to Egypt, which was hit by a Russian missile strike after it left Ukrainian maritime border in the Black Sea, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, September 12, 2024. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS
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Ukraine Says Russia Hit Vessel Carrying Ukrainian Grain to Egypt in Black Sea

A view shows a damaged civilian cargo vessel, carrying wheat grain to Egypt, which was hit by a Russian missile strike after it left Ukrainian maritime border in the Black Sea, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, September 12, 2024. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS
A view shows a damaged civilian cargo vessel, carrying wheat grain to Egypt, which was hit by a Russian missile strike after it left Ukrainian maritime border in the Black Sea, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, September 12, 2024. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

Ukraine accused Russia on Thursday of using strategic bombers to hit a civilian grain vessel with a missile in the Black Sea in NATO member Romania's maritime economic zone, in what it described as a "brazen attack" on freedom of navigation.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the vessel carrying Ukrainian grain to Egypt had been hit by a Russian missile just after it exited Ukrainian territorial waters, and that there were no casualties according to a preliminary assessment.

If confirmed, the incident would mark a sharp increase in tensions between Moscow and the NATO military alliance, which has tried to tack a course between fears of escalation and supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia since Moscow's invasion in February 2022, according to Reuters.

British maritime security company Ambrey said in a note that a Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged bulk carrier had been struck by a Russian-launched missile after departing from the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk in Ukraine's Odesa region.

The vessel sustained damage to its port side, including a cargo hold and a crane, it said.

Traders said the incident had contributed to stronger wheat prices by adding to concern over tightening supply in the Black Sea export zone. US futures rose as much as 2% to hit a two-month peak.

Zelenskiy posted images showing the twisted metal of a damaged crane and other damage.

An industry source told Reuters the strike had taken place overnight not far from the mouth of the Danube river. Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesman for Ukraine's navy, told Reuters, the vessel was in Romania's maritime economic zone.

Romania's Naval Authority said the vessel had not been in its territorial waters and that its assistance had not been requested in any way.

Zelenskiy wrote on X: "We are waiting for the world to react. Wheat and food security should never be targets for missiles."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the strike "a brazen attack on freedom of navigation and global food security."

Ukraine is a major global grain exporter that has had to battle Russia in the Black Sea to revive its exports through its sea ports since Russia's invasion imposed a de facto blockade.