Unexpected Flood Kills Three Tourists, Two More Missing

Unexpected Flood Kills Three Tourists, Two More Missing

A sudden flood which struck a scenic mountain area near the gigantic Three Gorges Dam on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River on Saturday has left three tourists dead and two missing.

The three bodies were recovered Sunday afternoon, said local sources.

According to the sources, a group of 10 tourists were traveling in a bus operated by a local travel service of Yichang, the nearest city to the Three Gorges Dam, to tour the Sixi scenic area in Zigui County, central China's Hubei Province, when they encountered the flood at 5:30 pm Saturday at the Sandiaoshui Waterfall.

The incident was soon spotted by safety guards who tried to rescue the tourists while managing to report the dangerous situation to the county authorities. Local government authorities of Zigui County organized a rescue team of over 100 people and quickly rushed to the scene.

Five tourists have been rescued and hospitalized. The bus driver was unhurt in the incident.

The rescue team is still looking for the two missing tourists.