Beijing's Communist Party secretary, Guo Jinlong, yesterday led a tribute to flood victims in Shidu, the township in Fangshan district hardest hit by last weekend's storm.
The ceremony was apparently intended to assuage public anger over the authorities' rescue efforts and response to the disaster. Residents are still searching for missing family members and say the government has offered little or no help.
Flanked by municipal officials including acting mayor Wang Anshun , Guo admitted that the authorities had learned a hard lesson from the unfolding tragedy. 'We must always remember [the disaster] and improve our efforts to prevent it happening again,' Guo said.
On Thursday authorities for the first time revised up the initial death toll of 37 issued on Sunday.
They said the toll had risen to 77, with 66 of the victims identified.
One of those killed was an eight-month-old girl from Henan province. China Central Television took the unusual step of announcing all 66 names.
