At least 11 people are missing with 22 rescued after a swiftly
rising tide swept 30 people out to sea in east China's Zhejiang Province on Thursday.
The tide overtook tourists and locals at around 4pm in the inner
part of the Qiantang River mouth, revealed s Zheng Yiren, an
official with the Hangzhou Maritime Affairs Bureau.
Rescue workers stated that those swept into the water had been
swimming or walking on the nearby levee in Qibao, Xiasha District,
around 20 kilometers southeast of from downtown Hangzhou, the
provincial seat.
Two of the missing have been named as 15-year-old Liu Tao from
southwest China's Chongqing Municipality and 21-year-old Yu
Xiaoyao, a student from Shaanxi Normal University.
Zhang Jinping, a 37-year-old migrant worker from Chongqing, told
the press that he arrived at the site at 3.40pm but only swam five
minutes before the tide rolled in.
With his back to the sea, he had no time to react and was swept
out around 500 metres before latching on to a conveyor belt on a
dredging machine in the river and swam back to safety.
Zhang said he dragged an unconscious woman from the water as he
arrived on shore, but Liu Tao, his cousin’s son, was swept away and
is still missing.
The Qiantang River was responsible for another similar incident
on Oct. 3, 1993 when the tidewater swept away 86 people from the
levees, leaving 19 dead, 40 missing and 27 injured.
Three vessels are mounting a full search-and-rescue mission in
the vicinity.
(Xinhua News Agency, Chinanews.com.cn?August 3, 2007)
