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More than 4,000 evacuated in rainstorm-hit E China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-15 14:06

Workers of a community committee try to lay sand bags in front of the door of an apartment on the first floor after heavy rains hit the city of Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, June 14, 2011. [Photo/Xinhua]

NANCHANG - More than 4,000 people were evacuated in East China's Jiangxi province, which has been hit by a new round of rainstorms since Tuesday.

According to the provincial meteorological station, torrential rain from Tuesday morning to Wednesday swept 22 counties and cities in the north of the province, flooding roads and farmland.

More than 2,500 people from the Tonggu county and 1,800 from Xinjian county were evacuated early Wednesday morning.

The meteorological station predicted that the rain will continue, exceeding 50 mm of accumulated rainfall in the provincial capital of Nanchang, Shangrao city and Jingdezhen city.

It recommended that residents near the center of the storm cut outdoor power supplies and refrain from outdoor activities. It also warned local governments to take preventive measures in case the rain triggers landslides, floods and mud-rock flows.

In Zhejiang, heavy rains since Tuesday have resulted in a landslide in the northern Qiandaohu town, where a row of warehouses were buried at about 1:34 pm. One person was trapped four hours before being rescued.

In the southwestern Chongqing municipality, where biggest daily rainfall reached 104.2 mm, more than 110,000 people have been affected by the downpour since Monday.

The rains toppled 120 houses, inflicting a direct economic loss of 55.5 million yuan ($8.5 million). No casualties have been reported as of yet.

According to Yan Yonghui, vice director of the city's flood control and drought relief headquarters, the rain eased the lingering drought, but there remains a shortage of drinking water for 223,000 residents and 131,900 cattle, most of whom reside in the mountainous southern area.