Floods and landslides caused by torrential rain in seven provinces in southern China have left at least 94 people dead and 25 missing over the past week, the Ministry of Civil Affairs reported Monday, according to dpa. Since the end of June, more than 289,000 houses have either collapsed or been heavily damaged as a result of the heavy rain. The damage to crops, roads and telecommunications is extensive, according to the ministry. More than 16 million people have been affected and 550,000 have been evacuated to safety in the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, Chongqing and Shaanxi. Since the beginning of June 309 people have died and 48 are missing from weather-related disasters, mostly rainstorms. More rain is predicted for the area and flood warnings have been issued for eastern China. Meanwhile, the north of the country is experiencing a drought that has left at least 7.4 million people in need of drinking water.
