At least 46 people have been killed and more than 120,000
evacuated as heavy storms continue to sweep through southern
China.
Among the flood-ravaged provinces east China's Fujian has been hardest hit with 26 people
killed since May 29, Li Baojun, an official in charge of disaster
relief with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, said yesterday.
"Besides the deaths, 60,000-70,000 people have been relocated
after their houses collapsed or were damaged by floods or
rainfall," said Li. "The ministry has allocated 2,500 tents and the
provincial government has donated 6 million yuan (US$739,800) in
disaster relief funds for local people."
In Fuzhou, capital of Fujian Province, roads were blocked in 26
places by a series of landslides, causing an estimated loss of 1.05
million yuan (US$129,500) to the local economy, reported local
newspaper Fuzhou Daily. By Monday morning the roads had been
cleared and traffic returned to normal.
Meanwhile in south China's Guangdong Province 11 people died in floods
and 60,000-70,000 were evacuated, said Li.
Gales and hailstorms have also passed through some parts of
southwest China's Guizhou Province and Chongqing Municipality.
And the current collision of cold and warm air currents also
threatens to bring heavy rainfall to other parts of the country
over the coming days, the Central Meteorological Office warned
yesterday.
Rain will linger in southern Guizhou, southern and central Hunan, Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces, most parts of Fujian,
central and northern Guangxi and Guangdong, the office added.
(China Daily June 7, 2006)