A brick wall collapsed on Saturday night in Yuanyang County, Yunnan
Province, killing 7 people and injuring 22 others.
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The accident happened at around 8:00 PM Saturday during the opening
ceremony of the Torch Festival in Yuanyang County in the Hani-Yi
Autonomous Prefecture of Honghe. A wall 50 meters long and 2 meters
high collapsed and crushed more than 30 locals and visitors.
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By press time, seven people were confirmed dead, 22 others were
injured to different degrees, including three seriously, a local
source said. Nearly 3,000 local residents and tourists were present
at the Torch Festival.
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The Torch Festival is a traditional holiday of the Yi ethnic
minority celebrated on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month on the
Yi calendar. Torches are lit at night to ward off evil spirits and
as a prayer for prosperity.
Also on Saturday, a farm vehicle overturned and plunged into a
reservoir in Hengyang County, Hunan
Province, killing five people and leaving two others missing,
local police said.
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At around 12:00 PM Saturday, a farm vehicle carrying 11 people
overturned and plunged into a reservoir as it was passing Baishi
Village.
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Four people were killed on the spot, and one died in hospital. The
dead included three children.
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Rescuers are still searching for the two missing people.
(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2005)