Beijing: Nine people have been killed in
persistent rains in China resulting in the forced evacuation
of 47,200 others in the northwestern province of Shaanxi
during the past two weeks, local authorities said on Saturday.
Torrential rains have been pounding nearly 60 of the
province`s counties since September 4, triggering mountain
torrents and landslides, the province`s civil affairs
department said in a statement.
Over 5,000 homes collapsed in the rain and more were
damaged, according to the statement.
The rain also affected over 61,360 hectares of crops,
among which 6,400 hectares were completely ruined, it said.
Direct economic loss caused by the rain was estimated at
724 million yuan (USD 113 million), it said.
The department has started an emergency response plan and
sent work teams to the disaster-hit regions to assist the
relief operations, Xinhua reproted.
More rains are expected to hit Shaanxi through Monday,
according to a statement issued late Friday by the provincial
flood control headquarters which asked local governments to
guard against rain-triggered disasters.
PTI
