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Five dead,3 missing after downpours soak east China
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-08-19 19:20

JINAN -- Downpours in recent days devastated a city in east China's Shandong Province, leaving five people dead and three missing, local authorities said on Tuesday.

From 4 p.m. Saturday to early Monday, about 209 mm of rain fell on Rizhao City, causing floods in towns and villages in some areas, the Rizhao City civil affairs bureau said.

Floods entered 705 houses and brought down 64, forcing 1,100 people to evacuate, the bureau said. Some 43,000 people were affected. The flood also destroyed 19 bridges and sections of embankments.

Losses so far are put at 35 million yuan (US$5.1 million).

The search for the missing continues.