A group of elderly people trapped in a flooded nursing home were among at least 70 people killed in severe storms that battered Beijing and its neighboring provinces, according to Chinese officials.
Thirty-one people died at a care facility for the elderly in Taishitun city, they said, as Beijing's Miyun district became one of the worst hit by storms that brought nearly a year's worth of rain in a short period.
The area was hit by flooding on Monday and many were unprepared.
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Officials issued a rare public apology on Thursday after announcing the deaths.
“For a long time, this nursing home was located in the city center and was considered safe, but this was not taken into account in the preparation plans. This shows that our plans are flawed,” said Party Secretary Miyun Yu Weiguo, offering his condolences and adding that it was a “bitter lesson.”
There were 69 people in the institution, 55 of whom had health restrictions.
According to local publication Caixin, the object was located in a lowland next to a river that had overflowed its banks after unusually heavy rains.
At the time of the flood, there were 77 people in the building, including employees.
The nursing home was featured in a report on the rescue operation on state television CCTV, which showed rescuers in boats pulling people out of windows, but made no mention of the fatalities.
“Thanks to many hours of coordinated work, they managed to save 48 people,” the caption to the video report said, without specifying who exactly died.
The city later said 28 people had died in the Miyun district on Tuesday after rescuers were able to reach the scene, but did not say who died or where it happened.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
