China Rains, Floods Kill 379 People and Leave 141 Missing, Ministry Says
Rains and floods in southern China have killed 379 people and left 141 missing, the Ministry of Water Resources said today, citing estimates by the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.
The disaster has caused an estimated economic loss of 82.4 billion yuan ($12.1 billion) and has displaced 4.54 million people, it said on its website.
Still, southern China is bracing for torrential rain today and early tomorrow, the China Meteorological Administration warned this morning.
Provinces including southern Zhejiang, Jiangxi, most of Fujian, Guangdong and central to southern Guangxi will receive heavy or torrential rain today, the agency said, urging local governments to prepare for disasters such as landslides.
Flooding in 2010 has thus far affected 68.7 million people in 22 provinces, municipalities and regions, as well as inundating about 4.4 million hectares (11.9 million acres) of crops, the office said today in a statement on its Web site.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited flood-hit Fuzhou city in the eastern province of Jiangxi on June 24 to inspect the fight against the flooding and review disaster relief work. Wen also asked local officials to send more funds and materials to ensure that basic living needs of flood victims are met.
--Feiwen Rong. Editor: Mike Millard.
To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Feiwen Rong in Beijing at +86-10-6649-7563 or frong2@bloomberg.net
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