At least eight people have died and four remain missing after a flash flood swept through a campsite in Inner Mongolia, Chinese state media reported on Sunday.
According to Xinhua, 13 people were camping in Urat Rear Banner when the flood struck around 10 p.m. local time (1400 GMT) on Saturday. One survivor was rescued, while search and rescue operations for the missing continue.
The Ministry of Emergency Management has ordered a full-scale response, including verification of the missing and the dispatch of a working group to the scene, state broadcaster CCTV said.
China faces frequent natural disasters during the summer months, with some regions battered by heavy rains while others endure extreme heat. Earlier in August, flash floods and mudslides in the northwest killed at least 13 people, while torrential rains in Beijing left 44 dead. In Hebei province, a landslide triggered by the storms claimed eight more lives.
Scientists warn that climate change is amplifying extreme weather events, increasing the risk of destructive floods across the country.
