导读:上周，由于散播虚假汛情，包括夸大死亡人数等，中国北方河北省邢台市三人受到处分。
Three people in Xingtai, North China’s Hebei Province received penalties for spreading rumors about the flood that struck the city last week, including exaggerating the death toll, the city’s publicity department announced on its official Sina Weibo account on Tuesday.
据邢台市宣传部星期二发布在新浪官方微博上的公告，上周，由于散播虚假汛情，包括夸大死亡人数等，中国北方河北省邢台市三人受到处分。
They admitted to deliberately spreading false information that severely hindered the city’s efforts to combat flooding and undermined social stability, read the release.
公告称，他们对故意编造传播虚假信息的违法事实供认不讳。这些行为对抗洪救灾秩序以及灾区社会稳定造成了严重影响。
According to the release, a 35-year-old man surnamed Hou is being detained for five days for posting claims on Baidu Tieba forum that the Xingtai flood was caused by the intentional discharge of water from several reservoirs. Meanwhile, a 30-year-old woman surnamed Shan, who claimed on her WeChat account that more than 700 people were killed in Xingtai, will face an administrative penalty. Finally, a 27-year-old woman surnamed Shi, who posted an exaggerated death toll of the disaster on her Weibo account, has been ordered to receive legal education.
据公告，35岁的侯某在百度贴吧散布消息，称邢台的洪灾是由于多个水库放水造成，被拘留5日；30岁的女性单某在微信朋友圈发布虚假消息称，邢台淹死了700多人，将面临行政处分；27岁的女性史某在微博中故意夸大灾区死亡人数，将接受法制教育。
According to an amendment to China’s Criminal Law that took effect in November, those who publish false, alarmist claims about natural disasters or police actions or those who deliberately spread rumors on the Internet about such matters can be held in prison for up to three years if the false information disrupts social order. Those whose rumor mongering causes serious consequences can be put behind bars for three to seven years.
据去年11月生效的《中国邢法修正案》，编造虚假的险情、疫情、灾情、警情，故意在信息网络或者其他媒体上传播，严重扰乱社会秩序的，处三年以下有期徒刑；造成严重后果的，处三年以上七年以下有期徒刑。
The deadly flood that swept through Xingtai was the worst in two decades, affecting 9 million people and causing heavy economic losses, and 100 people are still missing, local authorities said Sunday.
星期天，当地政府称，本次邢台洪涝灾害是20年来最严重的一次，共有900万人受影响，造成了巨大的经济损失。目前还有100余人失联。
The local government affirmed Sunday that the disaster was caused by heavy rainfall and not by an intentional discharge of water from a reservoir as previously reported.
当地政府部门还确认，本次灾难是由特大暴雨引起的，并非如之前所传言的那样是一些水库故意放水造成。
Rumors of intentional reservoir discharge and fatal delays in flood warnings prevailed on social media in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, angering villagers and Net users.
灾难发生后，网上立即就出现了水库故意泄水排洪和灾难预警不及时等传言，并被大量疯转，引起了村民和网友的愤怒。
According to the Xinhua News Agency, five government officials have been suspended for dereliction of duty over the response to the deadly floods.
据新华社报道，由于玩忽职守，有5名官员被停职。
Xingtai Mayor Dong Xiaoyu apologized for the inadequate response to the disaster at a press conference on Saturday night, Xinhua reported.
新华社称，在星期六晚上举行的新闻发布会上，邢台市市长董晓宇也为救灾不力向公众道歉。
