CHINA / National

Hui calls for flood-control efforts amid Bilis ravage
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-07-18 20:02

Tropical storm Bilis landed in China last Friday and triggered heavy rainfall and serious floods in Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi. More than 1.7 million residents had been evacuated over the past weekend, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Floods and rainstorms also claimed 43 lives in Fujian Province and 44 in Guangdong.

There were no reports of casualties in Zhejiang and Jiangxi.

In Guangdong 1.32 million people have been affected and 4,744 houses were destroyed by the deadly storm.

Water levels at eight large reservoirs in the province have exceeded the flood-control limit with six others approaching the warning line.

The death toll in Guangxi rose to 19 from Monday's nine while eight people were still missing. Meanwhile, 4.495 million people were affected and the economic losses stood at about 890 million yuan (US$111.25 million).

A total of 557 reservoirs in Guangxi were forced to discharge floodwater as torrential rains continued Monday, 333 more than that over the previous day.


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