Rain storms hit southwest and central China, leaving three dead, two injured and one missing, local authorities in Wuhan, capital city of Hubei Province, said on Saturday.

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The landslide triggered by rain storm hit Fugong County in southwest China's Yunnan province at 5:30 AM on Saturday, leaving two dead, two injured and one missing, said Hu Rong, head of the county.

Rescuers had arrived at the county to search for the missing, Hu said.

Another death was caused by flood amid heavy rain from Thursday to Friday in Shiyan City of central China's Hubei Province, said an official of the provincial flood control and drought relieaf headquater.

More than 43,000 people had been affected by the rain which triggered flood and landslide and the direct economic loss was estimated to be 18.35 million yuan (About US$2.7 million ), the official said.

Nearly 1,500 people had been evacuated, the official said.

Other areas in north, east, southwest and central China, including Beijing and Shanghai had also been hit by heavy rain.

(Xinhua News Agency August 2, 2009)