Death toll jumps to 99 in flooding in central China province

The death toll has risen to 99 from floods that hit a province in central China last week, authorities said on Thursday.

No details on who they were or how they died were provided in initial state media reports.

The city of Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province, was hit by record rainfall nine days ago. Floodwaters inundated the city’s subway system, killing 14 people, and turned streets into rushing rivers, washing away vehicles.

The storms then moved north, inundating other parts of the province including the hard-hit city of Xinxiang.

Questions have swirled about the death toll since the storm. A Chinese online media outlet, The Paper, reported that more than 200 wrecked vehicles had been found in a flooded tunnel in Zhengzhou. The discovery raised questions about whether the occupants had gotten out in time.

The waters have receded in some areas, but others remain flooded, with relief and cleanup efforts underway.