25 Killed, Thousands Displaced In Southern China’s Floods

201161162712741734_20MEP: Heavy rains and floods have killed more than two dozen people and over 33,000 in southern China.

According to reports, many others are missing in the downpours triggered by a week of torrential rains wreaked havoc in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

China’s Civil Affairs Ministry says 4 million people in 10 provinces have been affected by floods since heavy rainfall began Monday.

Several thousand houses collapsed and 15,000 people were relocated. Economic losses are estimated to be around 317 million yuan (USD 48 million).

A swollen river cut off the village of Aolin, leaving 1,500 residents stranded. Rescue teams had to use rubber dinghies to save people as power supplies were also lost in the wake of heavy downpours.

Youxian County is said to be one of the worst hit areas, where as much as 150 millimeters of rain fell in a short period on Friday.

A total of 66 flood alerts have been issued across the region since June 9, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Water level at 33 gauging stations on 20 rivers have crossed the warning marks, said the regional flood control headquarters.

Additionally, steady downpours have brought widespread disruption across Guangdong Province, and forced schools to close.

More than 200 students were trapped inside a school in the province and had to scamper for their lives to the second floor of their building, as water levels had reached two meters deep in some areas.

Earlier this week, the South China Morning Post reported China’s national flood control authorities putting in force emergency response measures for heavy rainfall forecast up to Friday along the Gan, Xiang and Xi rivers in central and southern areas of the country.

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