Among them, 53 died in parking lots and metros.. China's floods claim 302 dead

The death toll from floods in central China has risen to 302, with 50 people still missing, officials said Monday, after heavy rains fell in three days, equivalent to the average of a year.

This is the highest flood death toll in the Asian country since a landslide in Gansu Province (northwest), which left more than 1,800 people dead or missing in August 2010.

About two weeks after the floods that hit Henan Province, local authorities reported 302 deaths, and the previous toll, Thursday, indicated about a hundred dead.

On July 20, the rain that hit Zhengzhou, the capital of the densely populated province, flooded the subway, killing 14 people out of about 500 rush hour.

And the media quoted Zhengzhou Mayor Hu Jong, as saying that 39 people died in underground parking lots, and six in a tunnel, without specifying it.

The flood washed away dozens of cars in a road tunnel, causing a large group of cars to accumulate at one of the exits.

The number of people who died as a result was not specified.

During three days, rain fell on Zhengzhou equivalent to the average rainfall for an entire year, which is unprecedented according to meteorological records, which raises concern about the consequences of climate change.

The mayor estimated the damages in the city at 53.2 billion yen (about seven billion euros).

Zhengzhou alone recorded more than 292 deaths.

The wife of one of the victims has sued the metro operator for negligence, local media reported last week.

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