A Chinese official's display of gold earrings while tearfully discussing a local flood disaster has sparked online mockery. However, many netizens have shown support for the official amidst the tragedy.

A Chinese official who cried about her village’s flood disaster has faced sarcastic comments for wearing a pair of gold earrings. The incident took an unexpected turn when a majority of online observers showed support for her. Shimen county in central China’s Hunan province was hit by heavy rains from May 17, which triggered severe floods and landslides. According to an official report on May 22, the disaster left six people dead, 10 missing and affected over 100,000 people. The party secretary...