Rainstorms in south and east China over the past few days have resulted in flood and landslide casualties in Fujian Province, dangerous water levels in Jiangxi Province rivers and the capsize of a ferry boat in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

In Nanping City, Fujian, 573,000 people were affected by the extreme weather. By 8 AM on Monday, two people had been killed in floods while landslides had left five dead.

1,760 houses collapsed and another 3,994 were damaged in the province, resulting in direct economic losses of 439.2 million yuan (US$52.8 million).

In Jiangxi, water levels in the upper reaches of the Fuhe and in tributaries of the Ganjiang and Xinjiang had also passed flood warning thresholds.

One person is still missing after a ferry boat capsized in surging floods in Hezhou City, Guangxi, around 3 PM on Monday, and 26 were rescued.

The accident took place on the Guijiang in Qing'an Village, according to local flood control and drought relief headquarters.

Water levels in cities and rivers elsewhere in Guangxi continued to rise yesterday.

The China Meteorological Administration issued two weather alarms yesterday, one for more rainstorms in the south and another for a heat wave with temperatures of up to 42 degrees Celsius in the north.

Central Shaanxi Province, southwestern Shanxi Province, northwestern Henan Province, western Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region are expected to experience the highest temperatures today, according to the forecast.

(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2005)