Rainstorms in south and east China over the past few days have
resulted in flood and landslide casualties in Fujian
Province, dangerous water levels in Jiangxi
Province rivers and the capsize of a ferry boat in Guangxi
Zhuang Autonomous Region.
In Nanping City, Fujian, 573,000 people were affected by the
extreme weather. By 8 AM on Monday, two people had been killed in
floods
while landslides had left five dead.
1,760 houses collapsed and another 3,994 were damaged in the
province, resulting in direct economic losses of 439.2 million yuan
(US$52.8 million).
In Jiangxi, water levels in the upper reaches of the Fuhe and in
tributaries of the Ganjiang and Xinjiang had also passed flood
warning thresholds.
One person is still missing after a ferry boat capsized in
surging floods in Hezhou City, Guangxi, around 3 PM on Monday, and
26 were rescued.
The accident took place on the Guijiang in Qing'an Village,
according to local flood control and drought relief
headquarters.
Water levels in cities and rivers elsewhere in Guangxi continued
to rise yesterday.
The China Meteorological Administration issued two weather
alarms yesterday, one for more rainstorms in the south and another
for a heat wave with temperatures of up to 42 degrees Celsius in
the north.
Central Shaanxi
Province, southwestern Shanxi
Province, northwestern Henan
Province, western Inner
Mongolia Autonomous Region and Xinjiang
Uygur Autonomous Region are expected to experience the highest
temperatures today, according to the forecast.
(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2005)