The death toll from severe rainstorms and flooding across China in the aftermath of severe Tropical Storm Bilis has risen to 154, state media said on Monday.
Torrential rain hit several provinces including Fujian, Hunan, Guangdong, Jiangxi and Zhejiang in the aftermath of the storm, forcing millions of residents to be evacuated and wreaking havoc on transport and communications.
So far, 78 people have died in the central province of Hunan, while 43 people in the south-eastern province of Fujian and 33 in the southern province of Guangdong have perished, China Daily‘s website reported.
Torrential downpours in Fujian triggered flash flooding and landslides that left the 43 people dead and four injured, Xinhua news agency said.
Another 24 people in Fujian were missing, including 10 buried in a landslide in Zhangzhou city, Xinhua said, adding that their chances of surviving were slim.
Three million people in the province were affected by the flooding, with 19 100 houses destroyed, 144 680ha of crops damaged and 519 000 people evacuated by Sunday evening.
In addition to the 78 people confirmed dead in Hunan province, more than 100 were still missing, Xinhua said, citing official figures.
At least 4,3-million people across that province have been affected by the rainstorms and floods, Xinhua said, with about 34 000 houses toppled and 156 000ha of farmland damaged.
In neighbouring Guangdong province, the 33 people killed were among 1,32-million people hit by the rainstorms, Xinhua said.
About 47 000 people had to be evacuated in Guangdong where 4 744 homes were also destroyed, it said.
The flooding cut the main Beijing-Guangzhou railway line connecting the Chinese capital in the north with the capital of Guangdong province, stranding around 1 500 passengers on board one of the trains at Lechang city in Guangdong.
The water level in Lechang reached 1,3m above the train tracks, Xinhua said.
It said flooding interrupted 88 train services and about 10 000 workers were mobilised to repair the inundated tracks, it said.
The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters refused to comment when contacted by Agence France-Presse on Monday.
Local meteorological authorities in Hunan and Guangdong provinces forecast more storms in their regions in the coming days while the rain was shifting westwards, hitting Guangxi province.
Bilis wreaked havoc in the Philippines and Taiwan before veering towards China. It weakened after hitting the mainland last Friday. – AFP
