13 killed in heavy rain and floods in China

Beijing, October 1

At least 13 persons have been killed and 29 others reported missing in heavy rain and floods in China as Typhoon Megi wrecked havoc destroying crops and causing direct economic losses of $829 million.

Three persons were killed and another person injured after floods hit a county in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, local authorities said.

Rainstorms battered Mouding County on Friday night, and the county saw precipitation levels reach 117.2 mm early today, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The flood has left seven townships in the county affected, causing damaged roads and farmland.

A total of 2,306 people have been relocated to safer places, local officials said.

Also 10 persons were killed in the devastation caused by Typhoon Megi in China and 29 others were listed missing, the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs announced said.

Five deaths were reported in east China’s Zhejiang Province and five were reported in southeast China’s Fujian Province, the ministry said in a statement.

About 2.09 million people had been affected as the impact of the typhoon spread to 16 cities in three provinces, including Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangxi.

Most of the people listed missing were from two villages hit by landslides.

About 6,56,000 residents have been relocated and nearly 700 are in urgent need of basic living supplies, according to the statement.

Megi, the 17th typhoon this year, made landfall in Fujian on Wednesday, and brought heavy downpours and landslides in affected areas.

The typhoon has destroyed homes and crops and caused direct economic losses worth 5.53 billion yuan ($829 million), it said. — PTI