China suspends 4 local officials for being ‘ineffective’ after deadly flood kills 114

Village houses and field partially submerged by flood waters in Gaoyang Town, Shayang County, central China's Hubei Province. Pic: AP

24th July 2016

AUTHORITIES in the Hebei provincial government has suspended four local officials for their inadequate responses to the floods that have killed 114 people over the past week, with 111 others still missing.

The government announced on Sunday on its official microblog account that the head of a development zone in Xingtai city, the chief engineer of a city transport bureau, and two other bureaucrats have been suspended.

They will face accountability investigations, and may be punished further.

The officials were suspended for “being ineffective in flood prevention and rescue and relief work”. The northern province of Hebei bore the brunt of the torrential rains and severe flooding, with flash floods killing at least 25 people in Xingtai alone.

Villagers accused an official of trying to cover up the number of casualties during an interview last week – the official reportedly said no one had died or was hurt.

According to local news site CRI English, the mayor of Xingtai apologized for the inadequate responses.

Additional reporting by Associated Press