10 dead, 70 in hospital after 4 boats capsize in southwest China
More than 80 people fall overboard as tourist boats overturn on a river in Guizhou province
Ten people died and 70 others were admitted to hospital after four boats carrying tourists capsized in southwestern China on Sunday, according to state media on Monday.
Eighty-four people fell into the water when the passenger boats overturned on a river in the city of Qianxi in Guizhou province, Xinhua news agency reported, citing local authorities.
China’s leader Xi Jinping urged “all-out efforts” in the search and rescue operations and treatment of those injured, according to Xinhua.
A tourist on a boat that did not capsize told The Beijing News that there had been a sudden change in the weather, including heavy rain and a mist on the surface of the water.
The China Meteorological Administration said earlier on Sunday that heavy downpours had been forecast for southwestern and southern parts of China, including Guizhou and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
The incident took place during the five-day May Day holiday, which ends on Monday.
The “golden week” break is a popular time for travel, and hotel bookings across the province were up by a third on the first day of the holiday, People’s Daily reported on Saturday, citing data from travel site Trip.com.