Ninety-one people, including 87 students and four villagers, were confirmed dead amidst a heavy flood in Ning'an City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

Local rescue work headquarters announced the latest figure Sunday morning.

The heavy flood and ensuing mountain torrent hit a primary school around 2:00 PM Friday in Shalan Town of Ning'an City.

Another 25 people were receiving emergency medical treatment, the headquarters said.

Floods wreaked havoc over seven out of 18 villages in Ning'an City. About 1,333 hectares of farm land were devastated, 55 houses collapsed and 1,800 villagers' life affected.

A rescue team of 1,400 people, including 1,000 military officers and soldiers and 400 government officials, have arrived in the flood-hit area. Seventeen medical experts from Harbin Medical School in the provincial capital have been dispatched to help the disaster relief efforts, the rescue headquarters said.

Medical staffers concentrated their efforts on preventing possible contagious diseases and providing disinfected services to every rural household. A temporary residential quarter has been established to accommodate homeless local people.

Provincial Governor Zhang Zuoji and other high-ranking officials with the provincial government have arrived at Shahe Town to guide rescue work, the headquarters added.

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters Saturday allocated 5 million yuan (US$610,000) for flood relief to the province.

A joint working team from the ministries of finance, railways, commerce and water resources has been dispatched to Shalan Town, according to the State headquarters.

All localities must keep on high alert for further mountain torrents caused by heavy rain, noted the State headquarters, calling on local authorities to continue their search for the missing.

(Xinhua News Agency June 11, 2005)