Cash offer for families of flooding victims in Shalan
Ningan (AsiaNews/Scmp) - Families who lost their children in the flash flood five days ago in Shalan (Ningan, Heilongjiang), have been urged by the local government to accept compensation of 150,000 yuan each by noon today.
Wang Tongtang, secretary-general of the Communist Party Committee in Mudanjiang city which oversees Ningan, said families that agreed to accept the compensation offer and cremate the bodies of the victims within 48 hours would be offered an extra 5,000 yuan as a token of appreciation. Many villagers are asking for a compensation of 400,000 yuan.
"China has no regulations regarding how much money should be paid to victims of natural disasters. The compensation we are offering is higher than the usual amount, as far as we know," Mr Wang said.
"This is the best we can offer," he said. "But I don't think we will increase the figure. Eleven official working teams have been sent to negotiate with the villagers and they will talk to families who don't want to accept the offer."
Mr Wang said the official death toll in Ningan's Shalan township by last night was 99 - 95 students from the Shalan Township Central Elementary School and four villagers. Ten more students are still missing and 17 others are still being treated in hospitals.
He said party officials were investigating claims that Shalan township leaders and police had ignored phone calls for help before the flash flood hit. An allegation that a second-grade teacher abandoned her students, leading to more than 40 deaths, would also be investigated.
Official investigators would review the case and decide if anyone should be held responsible for building the school in a flood-prone area in the town.
Families who lost their only children in the tragedy last night were undecided over whether they should accept the offer.
Wang Yongjun , 33, whose 10-year-old son was killed when the school was hit by the mountain torrent last Friday, said it was a difficult decision for him and other victims' families.
"We do not want to oppose the government as we are still demanding justice. But what's the use of compensation money now that my only child is gone forever? But what else can we expect, because this appears to be the government's final offer".
Gao Wenjun, who lost his niece in the flash floods, said his family would not consider the offer. "How can we accept such a small amount of money for the loss of a young life?" he said.
.png)
22/09/2016 08:53
