Rainstorms and ensuing floods that hit Guizhou and Yunnan provinces in southwest China, from Wednesday to Thursday, left 14 people dead, 14 injured and two missing, according to local government sources on Friday.

According to Guizhou Provincial Headquarters for Flood Control and Drought Relief, downpours and ensuing floods affected Jiebi Prefecture and Zunyi City from Wednesday to Thursday, killing nine people and affecting 330,000 others.

Local governments evacuated more than 2,400 people to safe places, according to the headquarters. Rainfall reached 102 mm to 148 mm in the affected areas.

Downpours and ensuing floods blocked traffic, damaged bridges and flattened residential houses in the disaster areas. Classes were also suspended in local schools.

The provincial government has sent rescuers to the affected areas to help flood-affected people. Damages on crops and economic loss caused by the downpours and floods is being calculated, according to the headquarters.

In neighboring Yunnan Province, five people were confirmed dead, two missing and 14 injured in floods caused by rainstorms pelting Zhenxiong County from Wednesday to Thursday, according to local government sources.

As of Friday morning, floods damaged more than 1,000 houses and flattened 300 others in the county. The number of people affected by the flood is being calculated.

The county government has allocated an emergency aid of over 600,000 yuan for disaster relief in the affected areas.

Searching for the missing people is continuing at press time.

(Xinhua News Agency June 30, 2006)