Torrential rains leave 16 dead in China

NANNING - At least 16 people have been confirmed dead after torrential rains battered southern and northern regions of China over the past three days, local authorities said Sunday.

Floods triggered by rainstorms have killed six people, affected the lives of more than 450,000 people, destroyed some 1,000 houses and inundated almost 17,000 hectares of cropland in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous regions, a government spokesman said.

Direct economic losses were estimated at 128 million yuan (20.3 million U.S. dollars), the spokesman said, adding local authorities have launched relief operations.

Local meteorological authorities forecast that more heavy rainfalls will hit parts of Guangxi on Monday.

Around 8 p.m. Saturday, rainstorm-triggered floods also affected three counties in the Ulanqab city in Inner Mongolia, said authorities with the city government of Ulanqab.

As of 8:40 p.m. Sunday, eight people have been confirmed killed in the floods, which have also cut the road communication and power supply in some regions, said the authorities.

Strong downpours also battered east China's Jiangxi province from Friday,leaving over 734,000 people in disaster, the provincial flood prevention and control headquarters said.

Local governments have relocated about 26,890 people to avoid flood risks.

By 8 p.m. Sunday, ten major reservoirs in Jiangxi have seen their water level rising above the warning levels, said the headquarters.

In south China's Guangdong province, two people have been killed and another three were still missing due to a round of rainstorms, which continuously battered Guangdong from Thursday to Sunday, said the provincial flood prevention and control headquarters.

As of 8 p.m. Sunday, the rainstorms have affected the life of about 312,800 people in Guangdong.

The water levels in several major rivers in Guangdong have surpassed the warning levels.