Nine killed, three missing as flash floods sweep through campsite in north China

Beijing, Aug 17 (PTI) Nine people were killed and three others reported missing after a flash flood swept through a wild camping site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, state-run media said on Sunday.

The disaster struck Saturday morning in the upstream area of a river in Urad Rear Banner in Bayannur City, leaving 13 campers unaccounted for.

As of Sunday evening, one person had been rescued while nine others were confirmed dead. Three campers remain missing, according to the city's emergency management bureau, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

More than 700 rescuers have been dispatched to the site urgently to search for the missing, the report said.

The Ministry of Emergency Management has stepped up operations to locate the missing and sent a work team to guide the operations, it said.

The ministry has also warned travellers during flood season to avoid undeveloped wilderness areas and exercise caution in geologically hazardous zones, the report added. PTI KJV NPK NPK