THE massive mudslide that hit Wenchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Saturday had killed 15 people and injured nine others by Monday, local authorities said yesterday.

Wenchuan County was the epicenter of the 8.0-magnitude earthquake that jolted Sichuan and other neighboringprovinces in west China in May 2008.

The quake left some 87,000 people dead or missing.

The county, which falls under the jurisdiction of Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Aba, was ravaged by rain-triggered floods and mudslides on Saturday.

At least 31 people were reported missing following the mudslide, but whether the 15 deaths were included was not known, according to a statement issued by the county government of Wenchuan.

More than 50,000 residents and tourists were forced to evacuate in Aba as the local meteorological station issued warnings beginning Friday about expected heavy rains and possible geological disasters.

In Yingxiu Town of Wenchuan, rows of newly completed homes were submerged by the overflowed Minjiang River which runs through the town.

The new homes had been built to accommodate those relocated outside Yingxiu after the deadlyearthquake.

If the flooding hadn't occurred, Lian Qunhua, who opened a grocery, would have received the key for her new home in two weeks.

"This used to be my home," Lian said, pointing to some debris in front of her. "That is my new home," she said, indicating a row of fresh new buildings soaked in the flood waters.

"I feel hurt, indeed."

• province [´prɔvins] n.省；领域；范围 (初中英语单词)
• yesterday [´jestədi] n.&ad.昨天；前不久 (初中英语单词)
• neighboring [´neibəriŋ] a.邻近的；接壤的 (初中英语单词)
• missing [´misiŋ] a.缺掉的；失踪的 (初中英语单词)
• beginning [bi´giniŋ] n.开始，开端；起源 (初中英语单词)
• deadly [´dedli] a.致命的 ad.死一般地 (初中英语单词)
• massive [´mæsiv] a.厚实的；魁伟的 (高中英语单词)
• southwest [,sauθ´west] n.&a.西南(方)(的) (高中英语单词)
• earthquake [´ə:θkweik] n.地震；大变动 (高中英语单词)
• accommodate [ə´kɔmədeit] vt.供应；容纳；调节 (高中英语单词)
• grocery [´grəusəri] n.食品杂货店 (高中英语单词)
• jurisdiction [,dʒuəris´dikʃən] n.裁判(权)；管辖范围 (英语四级单词)
• geological [dʒiə´lɔdʒikəl] a.地质学的 (英语六级单词)