1400 rainstorm victims rescued in S. China

Shaoguan (CNS) -- Before dawn on Sunday sudden and severe rainstorms hit the city of Shaoguan and its townships of Renhua and Qujiang in Guangdong Province and by early evening about 1,400 trapped residents had been rescued.

Rescue teams were dispatched to the isolated residents aboard assault boats. Low lying streets and residential areas continue to battle serious water logging. Traffic authorities have isolated the affected areas from autos.

In total, some 12,576 locals have been affected, but no deaths had been reported by 6 p.m. Sunday. Some 2,131 homes are damaged and 44,663 mu (almost 3,000 hectares) of farmland soaked. Total economic losses amount to about 55.06 million yuan (US$ 8.73 million).

Local meteorological station predicted the fierce rainfall brought on by strong convective weather will continue until Wednesday, and warned locals against floods, debris flows and landslides.