12 dead in south China flood

A resident clears sludge brought by a flood in Shitan Town of Qingyuan, south China's Guangdong Province, May 24, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

Twelve people have died in rain-triggered floods in south China's Guangdong Province and neighboring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region since Wednesday, local authorities said on Saturday.

Five people died and another is missing in a flood in Qingyuan City, Guangdong Province.

As of 4 p.m. on Saturday, 649,000 people and 500,900 hectares of crops were affected by the rainstorms and 3,300 houses collapsed in the city, which caused direct economic losses of 1.809 billion yuan (293 million U.S. dollars), according to the municipal flood control and drought relief headquarters.

Qingxin District in Qingyuan has been worst hit by persistent heavy rain, which has caused four small- and medium-sized reservoirs to overflow.

Rain has flooded nearly 483 villages and 12,300 homes, toppled 45 houses and trapped 454 residents, officials with Qingxin District said.

In the district's Shitan Town, although floodwater has dispersed, more than 20,000 residents lack drinking water as a reservoir has been polluted, said Liu Minyi, an official with the township government.

In Qigong Township, Yangshan County, power supply has resumed in three villages and another 8 to 10 villages are expected to regain electricity tonight.

In Conghua City, also in Guangdong, four people died in the rainstorms and four are missing. More than 12,000 residents have been affected and seven houses have collapsed.

Power supply was cut off in 9,413 households in Conghua. It is expected to resume in the next two days.

As of 3 p.m. Saturday, 16 highways were blocked by the flooding in Guangdong.

In Guangxi, three people died and nearly 280,000 people were affected by floods as of 4 p.m. Saturday.

Some 15,600 people were relocated and another 8,100 are in need of daily necessities. About 22,880 hectares of crops were affected and 696 houses collapsed, which caused direct economic losses of about 200 million yuan (32.4 million U.S. dollars).