11 people dead in Shenzhen floods

Eleven people were killed in floods triggered by a sudden rainstorm in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen Thursday night, local authorities confirmed Saturday.

Rescuers work at a park in Luohu District in Shenzhen on April 12, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua]

The last missing person was found dead Saturday afternoon, said a source with the city's emergency management bureau.

At around 9 p.m. Thursday, the rainstorm pounded Shenzhen, leading to floods that flushed away dredging workers at different river sections in the districts of Luohu and Futian.

The average precipitation in three hours Thursday night reached 65 millimeters in Luohu district, data from the Shenzhen Meteorological Bureau showed.

Provincial authorities of Guangdong Province in charge of workplace safety and emergency management on Friday issued a circular on strengthening safety and preventing deadly risks during flood season, demanding all projects be halted and workers be evacuated to safe grounds during heavy rainfall to prevent loss of life. Shenzhen falls under jurisdiction of Guangdong.

All water projects in the two districts of Luohu and Futian were ordered to stop operation for investigation and measures of rectification.