More torrential rains will hit parts of south China in the next three days, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) forecast on Thursday.

 

From July 20 to 22, torrential rains will cover most of Sichuan, Chongqing, the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, Huaihe River area and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, said CMA.

 

Residents in some of these regions may suffer heavy torrential rains, thunderstorms or hail.

 

Severe flooding has hit about half of China since the start of summer, claiming 400 lives so far.

 

By Thursday, 37 people had been killed and 14 were missing after fierce rainstorms hit southwest China's Chongqing municipality on Monday, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

 

More than 6.13 million people were affected by the rainstorms, and 286,200 people were evacuated, according to the ministry.

 

In neighboring Sichuan Province, seven people have been killed and about 5.18 million people were affected by the rainstorms.

 

The rising water level of the Huaihe River forced another 67,000 people in east China's Anhui Province from their homes on Thursday, the local flood control authority said.

 

In east China's Shandong Province, continuous rainstorms had killed 31, injured 171 and left eight missing by 11:00 AM on Thursday.

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(Xinhua News Agency July 20, 2007)