441 relocated due to rainstorm

YICHANG - A total of 441 people have been relocated since a fierce rainstorm began pounding Yichang in Hubei province on Monday, local authorities said Wednesday.

In the city 67 houses have collapsed and 130,000 people have been affected, according to a statement from the Yichang Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau.

About 22,000 hectares of farmland in 24 towns in the city were affected by the rain, rendering 669 hectares barren for this year. Direct economic loss is estimated at 45.87 million yuan ($7.3 million), the statement said.