At least six people are dead and five others missing as torrential rains hit central and southwest China, local governments said on Tuesday.

Rain-related disasters have left three dead and four missing in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. Another three were killed and one is missing in neighboring Hubei Province.

Chongqing's Tongliang County and Hechuan District were drenched by 238 mm of rainfall from Sunday night to Tuesday morning.

In Chongqing, 14,200 people were evacuated and 4,184 houses collapsed. Rainstorms also damaged 37,327 hectares of crops.

Heavy rain also damaged 56,400 hectares of crops and resulted in economic losses of 146.8 million yuan (US$21.5 million) in Linyi County and Yucheng City in the eastern province of Shandong.

While most parts of south China are battling against flooding, regions in the north are experiencing droughts.

Extended dry weather has left 670,000 people short of drinking water and affected 980,000 hectares of crops in Shanxi Province.

Some Shanxi cities had less than 70 percent of normal rainfall in June and July.

(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2009)