1st LD-Writethru: Downpour causes 10 deaths in south China

Heavy rainfall has plagued eight provinces and one municipality in south China since Sunday, causing 10 deaths and leaving four missing, said the Ministry of Civil Affairs Tuesday.

Downpour has triggered floods, landslides and hail storms in Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing, Sichuan and Guizhou, said a ministry press release.

Among the victims, five drowned, two were struck by falling rocks and two were buried under landslides. The last was killed in the collapse of a building, according to the ministry.

In Guizhou Province, where torrential rain has left four people dead and four others missing, more than 10,000 residents have been relocated and nearly 6,700 are in need of basic necessities, according to statistics from the provincial civil affairs department.

Affecting nearly 370,000 people in 30 counties, the disaster has inflicted direct economic loss of nearly 300 million yuan (48.3 million U.S. dollars), by toppling more than 300 rooms and damaging 17,000 hectares of farmland.

Downpour has also affected 553,900 residents in seven cities and prefectures in Hunan Province, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.

Hunan reported one death and relocated nearly 10,000 people with parts of its urban area flooded. The harsh weather is expected to linger in the province until June 12. Endi