ISLAMABAD: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday conveyed their deep sorrow over the loss of lives and widespread destruction caused by severe storms, tornadoes, landslides and heavy rains that have struck China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region as well as Hubei and Gansu provinces.
In a statement posted on social media, President Zardari said Pakistan stood in full solidarity with the people of China during this difficult time, adding that the two countries' "ironclad friendship remains steadfast."
In a separate message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended condolences on behalf of the people of Pakistan to President Xi Jinping, the government and the people of China, particularly the families who lost loved ones.
The prime minister prayed for the recovery of the injured and expressed hope for the success of ongoing rescue operations.
Scale of the disaster
The recent storms and flooding have killed at least 15 people across Hubei and Guangxi provinces, with hundreds injured and tens of thousands evacuated, while a separate landslide in Gansu buried 33 people, state-run Xinhua News reported.
In Hubei, thunderstorms and gale-force winds killed at least 11 people and injured 331 after severe convective weather struck several cities, with tornadoes also reported in the area. In Guangxi's capital Nanning, authorities raised the flood emergency response to its highest level after torrential rain caused dams to breach.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an intensified emergency response, stressing the need to treat the injured, resettle affected residents and carry out disaster prevention and relief work. Rescue teams have been deployed to search for survivors, including in Gansu, where 17 of the 33 people buried by the landslide have so far been successfully rescued.
