Jul. 27 – In the aftermath of the worst rainstorm to hit China’s capital in the last six decades, there has been widespread anger against the Chinese government, which is accused of censoring the death toll. The death toll was previously reported to be 37, however, after a public outcry, Chinese authorities increased this number to 77 after claiming that mudslides made investigation and verification difficult.

The rainstorms affected nearly 2 million people and caused approximately US$1.6 billion in damage, according to China’s state-run news outlet Xinhua. The worst hit area was Beijing’s Fangshan District, a rural community on the city’s mountainous outskirts. Officials reported that 38 people died in this district, yet residents who compiled their own toll online claimed that this number was closer to 300. Continue reading →