Heavy rains, floods affect over 3,000 people in China's Chongqing

CHONGQING - Torrential rains and rain-triggered floods have affected more than 3,000 people in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality, the municipal flood control and drought relief headquarters said on Thursday.

Over the 24 hours starting from 8 am Wednesday, heavy rains had hit 29 districts and counties in Chongqing, with Dongsheng village of Qijiang district recording the heaviest daily rainfall at 174.5 mm.

As of 11 a.m. Thursday, heavy rains and rain-triggered floods had wreaked havoc in 47 townships, with 3,055 people affected, 105 houses destroyed and 160.7 hectares of crops damaged. The direct economic losses are estimated at over 6 million yuan (about $0.95 million).

Authorities have evacuated residents and dispatched personnel to conduct rescue work.

Heavy rains are expected to continue until Saturday, according to the local meteorological observatory.