Downpours hit southern China

WUHAN - Torrential rain in Central China's Hubei province since Tuesday has led to the deaths of five people and left another four missing, local authorities have reported.

As of 5 pm on Wednesday, more than 5800 residents have been relocated, according to a statement from the provincial civil affairs department.

The water levels of about 400 reservoirs in the province have exceeded warning levels. Roads, houses, power and water conservation facilities have been damaged, causing direct economic losses of 680 million yuan (111 million US dollars), according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.

Yingshan county, where a four-story residential building was washed away on Wednesday morning, was worst hit by the rainstorm. The owner of the building evacuated his family before the collapse after receiving a government warning.

In neighboring Hunan province, heavy rain that began on Wednesday has affected 225,900 people in nine counties and cities, and 42,500 people have been evacuated.

Four roads in Suining county were blocked by floodwater and electricity was cut off in parts of the county.

The provincial meteorological center forecast heavy rain for Central Hunan on Friday and for western parts from Friday night to Saturday.

In Chongqing municipality, Southwest China, five people have been killed and some 221,000 affected by storms since Monday. A total of 3,231 people were evacuated. The weather has caused estimated economic losses of 204 million yuan, according to local flood control headquarters.

Downtown Chongqing and 25 other districts and counties have seen rainfall of up to 250 mm, the local meteorological center said.

Rainstorms have also been sweeping through Southwest China's Guizhou province since Wednesday. Two people had been killed and over 63,000 people in 15 counties affected as of Thursday, the provincial civil affairs department said.

Early on Thursday, mountain torrents caused by heavy rain in Kaili City flooded houses and roads and cut off electricity supply. All 115 people trapped by the torrents were rescued.

East China's Jiangxi province has also been hit by heavy rainfall.

Local hydrology authorities warned that the water level of Jiangxi's Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake, will exceed the warning level of 19 meters on Friday, as it had risen to 18.94 meters as of 4 p.m. on Thursday.

The provincial flood control headquarters issued a notice on Thursday, asking cities and counties near the Yangtze River and Poyang Lake to prepare for possible floods.