Hundreds feared dead under rubble, but mainland officials delayed news for five days
Hundreds are feared to have died in a mudslide in central Henan province - but news of the tragedy was delayed for five days.
Disaster struck last Sunday, the same day 69 miners were trapped in a flooded coal mine in Shan county in the same area. The miners were later rescued in what mainland media described as 'a miracle mission'.
A mainland reporter said he was tipped off about the floods in Lushi county - which locals fear may have left hundreds dead - but could not write about it because provincial propaganda authorities had issued a gag order.
Instead, local media outlets were told to focus on rescue operations at the state-owned Zhijian mine.
Xinhua finally reported late on Friday that flash floods and mudslides triggered by an intense four-hour downpour last Sunday killed 78 and left 18 unaccounted for.
Another journalist said he had been told by a Lushi official that 500 people were buried under rubble and mud and were feared dead.
