76 dead in downpours across China in one week

BEIJING - Severe downpours since July 27 have left 76 people dead and 30 missing across China, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said Thursday.

As of August 2, flooding, mudslides, falling rock and windstorms triggered by downpours affected over 9.25 million people in 23 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, according to the ministry.

About 592,000 residents were forced to relocate, and they have been provided with daily necessities since 36,000 buildings collapsed in the disasters, the ministry said in a press release.

The ministry collected 4,000 tents and 12,000 quilts and distributed these materials among those affected by the adverse weather in Shanxi province, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Heilongjiang province and other regions.

It is estimated that the disasters have destroyed more than 188,600 hectares of farmland and created direct economic loss of over 11 billion yuan (1.69 billion U.S. dollars).

Many regions in China, especially areas in the northeast and the southwest, have seen unusually severe downpours this summer, and the heaviest rainstorm in over 60 years left at least 77 residents dead in the country's capital on July 21.