Chinese officials punished for covering up true scale of deadly floods

Dozens of Chinese officials have been punished over their response to devastating floods that killed hundreds last July, after a government investigation found authorities had under-reported deaths and deliberately withheld information.

The flooding in the city of Zhengzhou, capital of central Henan province, left 398 people dead or missing. Torrential rains submerged entire neighborhoods and subway stations, drowning many people in vehicles and underground spaces, while others were caught in landslides and house collapses.

The Chinese Communist Party launched an investigation after the disaster and released its findings on Friday, concluding the city's government and other local bodies were "guilty of negligence and dereliction of duty."

Zhengzhou authorities "concealed or delayed the reporting of those killed and missing in the disaster," according to state news agency Xinhua. "They did not tally and report casualties on a daily basis as required, and have deliberately impeded and withheld reports of up to 139 cases."

Different departments in Henan illegally reported false numbers of missing people and blocked the reporting process, said the report, which was overseen by the Party's Central Committee and the State Council.