China Summer Floods Take Heavy Toll
More than 650 people have been killed during weeks of flash flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rains, Chinese media reports.
The violent summer downpours have affected 119 million people, destroyed 450,000 homes and nearly eight million hectares of crops, Xinhua said.
Seventeen people were killed across four provinces this weekend alone.
The Red Cross has launched a $7.7m appeal, calling it some of the worst flooding to hit China for a decade.
“There’s an urgent need for rice, clean drinking water, shelter, clothing, medical services and disinfectant,” said Gu Qinghui, of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
“It’s the rural poor who are suffering the most, including many farmers.”
More heavy rain is forecast for the south-west, north-west and north-east parts of China in coming days, according to Xinhua.
Date: July 31, 2007
Article: China rain storms claim 650 lives
Reference: Reuters