China's Maysak death toll jumps to 39 as dam breach reveals true scale of disaster

Tropical Storm Maysak killed 39 in southern China, with a dam breach in Nanning accounting for 26 deaths, Nanning vice mayor Ding Wei announced Thursday. The toll more than doubled the six deaths Xinhua reported through Tuesday, illustrating how quickly the disaster's scope emerged as floodwaters receded and rescue teams reached previously inaccessible areas. The gap between initial reports and revised tolls is common in Chinese disaster coverage, where provincial briefings often provide fuller pictures than state media's early dispatches.