China Floods leave 66 dead*

 From correspondents in Beijing

June 11, 2007 05:31am
Article from: Agence France-Presse

FLOODS and landslides triggered by torrential rains in southern China
have killed at least 66 people, left 12 others missing and forced nearly
600,000 from their homes.

Four days of heavy rains have battered Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou,
Hunan, Fujian and Jiangxi provinces, affecting nearly nine million
people, Xinhua news agency reported, citing figures released by the
civil affairs ministry.

The floods and landslides have caused overall economic losses of more
than 2.9 billion yuan ($452.52 million), the ministry said, according to
Xinhua.

The report did not give a breakdown of the death toll by province.

About 48,000 houses have been completely destroyed and nearly 100,000
others damaged, Xinhua quoted an unnamed ministry official as saying.

Nearly 300,000 hectares of crops have been affected, with one-sixth of
them completely destroyed, the report said.

The ministry has dispatched rescue teams to assist in relief efforts, it
said.