Two dead in central, south China rainstorms

CHANGSHA -?Heavy rainstorms have killed two people and forced the relocation of more than 54,000 residents after rainstorms hit China's Hunan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, local authorities said Sunday.

Heavy rains started to batter Hunan on Thursday, disrupting traffic, power, telecommunications and raising water levels in major rivers and reservoirs, said the office of the provincial flood control headquarters.

One villager in Jinwutang Township was killed in a landslide.

As of 11 a.m. Sunday, the round of heavy rains had affected 461,800 people in 131 townships and destroyed 1,400 housing units in the province.

Local governments have relocated 50,400 people to avoid geological risks from the rainstorms.

In the neighboring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, downpours have also killed one and affected 128,600 people, according to statistics released by the Department of Civil Affairs of Guangxi.

As of 2:30 p.m. Sunday, the heavy rains had destroyed 404 rooms of 145 households and seriously damaged another 800 in Guangxi. The economic losses were estimated at about 75 million yuan (about 12 million U.S. dollars).

Local governments have relocated 4,139 residents to avoid risks brought by the rains.

As of Sunday noon, power supply had been restored after a rainstorm-triggered flash flood hit Fugong County in southwest China's Yunnan Province, the county publicity department said.

It tore down 14 houses and two bridges, damaging flood-control dikes and inundating a hydropower generation plant.

Local governments in risk-prone areas have relocated residents and allotted them daily necessities.

Torrential rains hit Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province on Sunday, according to the city's flood control department.

About 30 flights have been delayed by more than 1 hour at a local airport, which launched an emergency plan on Sunday afternoon.

The railway authorities in Shenzhen said they have halted high-speed rail service linking Shenzhen and the provincial capital of Guangzhou.

No casualties have been reported in Shenzhen.

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