Global Courant
BEIJING — Torrential rain has killed 15 people in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing as President Xi Jinping called for increased efforts to protect the public from extreme weather.
Heavy downpours in recent weeks have led to devastating floods and deadly mudslides, while hail storms and unusually high temperatures, which many people suspect are the result of global warming, have wreaked havoc on much of China.
In the sprawling city of Chongqing, floods have displaced thousands of people, destroyed bridges and washed away homes and cars.
In addition to the 15 people who have died in recent days, four were reported missing early Wednesday, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The latest heavy rains disrupted the lives of more than 130,000 people and damaged more than 7,500 hectares of crops.
In Wanzhou district, northeast of Chongqing, flooding has caused 227.8 million yuan ($42.5 million) in economic losses, state broadcaster CCTV said.
Videos on social media showed rivers raging in towns and cities, and people being evacuated through hip-deep water. A clip showed rescuers breaking through a window security mesh to reach people trapped in an apartment.
