Rainstorm leaves 14 dead, 5 missing

Dark clouds cover the sky in downtown Shanghai, August 6, 2012. Heavy rains will hit many areas in south and east China from Sunday to Tuesday, as Typhoon Haikui is moving northwestward from Okinawa, Japan, to affect China's coastal region. [Photo/Agencies]

WUHAN/SHENYANG - At least 14 people have been confirmed dead and five others remained missing after typhoons Damrey and Saola tore through China's eastern coastal regions over the weekend, local authorities said Monday.

As of 2 pm Monday, at least five people had been confirmed dead and one remained missing due to heavy rain in the cities of Shiyan and Xiangyang in central China's Hubei province, said the provincial flood control headquarters.

Rainstorms and rain-triggered mudslides have destroyed 512 houses and damaged at least 600 others. Over 180,000 local residents have been forced to relocate.

Severe rainfall also stopped road traffic and cut power supplies in the two cities and nearby regions.

In northeast China's Liaoning province, at least nine people have died due to typhoon Damrey and another four remained missing as of Monday morning, said the provincial flood control headquarters.

Damrey also temporarily disrupted rail services in Liaoning on Saturday, affecting more than 2 million people.

In the city of Xiuyan, where six of the deaths occurred, the typhoon cut off electricity, paralyzed road traffic and damaged drinking water facilities. More than 110,000 people have been affected.

In the city of Benxi, heavy flooding on the Sandaohe and Xihe rivers trapped more than 300 construction workers in a tunnel on Monday morning. Firefighters dispatched to the site are currently building a ropeway to pull the workers out of the tunnel.