By Claire Cozens | AFP News – 18 hours ago
The death toll from the worst rains to hit Beijing in more than 60 years has risen to 77, China's official Xinhua news agency said Thursday, more than doubling previous figures.
Many residents of China's sprawling capital had expressed doubts about the official toll of 37 that Beijing authorities announced late Sunday, believing the true figure to be much higher.
Saturday's freak downpour, said to be the heaviest rain since records began in 1951, caused rivers to burst their banks and flood major highways, submerging large numbers of vehicles.