Q&A with Zhao Xuefeng, deputy head of the Publicity Department of Xingtai, Hebei province, from the Mirror newspaper.

The flood left eight people dead and one missing in Daxian village, which suffered the most in the disaster. Was the flood caused by the discharge from reservoirs in the upper reaches of the Qilihe River?

No, it was not. Rainfall caused Qilihe River to burst its banks and flood the villages near the river.