Flooding in southwestern China kills at least 14

Flooding in southwestern China kills at least 14

2011-06-07 19:12:49 GMT+7 (ICT)

GUIYANG, CHINA (BNO NEWS) -- At least 14 people have been killed, while another 53 remain unaccounted for as heavy rains have caused strong flooding in the southwestern region of China, officials said Tuesday.

According to China's provincial civil affairs, 400,000 people in 14 different cities within the country's Guizhou Province have been affected by the flooding, which was triggered by heavy rainfall that began last Friday, state-run media Xinhua reported.

The worst affected area is Wangmo county, Guizhou Province, where the 14 fatal victims and 52 missing people have been reported. Another person has also been reported missing in Luodian county.

In Wangmo county alone, flooding has forced around 45,000 residents to evacuate the area, while 3,000 others remain stranded. In addition, power, water supplies, and telecommunication in several cities have been interrupted due to the harsh weather conditions.

The county's flood and drought control offices also said that 5,500 hectares of cropland have been damaged by the floods, more than 500 vehicles have been washed away, 100 homes have been destroyed, and several roads and bridges have been destroyed.

Meanwhile, the country's weather bureau has forecast further rainfall throughout most of the province on Tuesday and until Thursday, while strong torrential rains could hit three prefectures.

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