The downpour and ensuing flood left three people died and seven others missing in central China's Hubei Province.

The source with the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters on Friday said 24 cities and counties were hit by strong rainfalls from Monday to Thursday.

In the county of Jingshan alone, the precipitation reached 198 mm.

About 520,000 people in 57 townships were affected and 1,514 houses toppled. The flood caused a direct economic loss of 92.7 million yuan (US$11.2 million).

The local government is in full swing to gear up disaster relief work.

The Yangtze River, the world's third longest, and Han River, Yangtze's major branch, run through Hubei.

(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2005)