Major storms deliver a double punch

Two cyclones slam China in a deadly back-to-back onslaught of wind, floods

Recent torrents in southern China have left at least five people dead and resulted in direct economic losses of about 37 million yuan ($5.5 million), as some areas in the region were battered by two major storms in succession over two days.

Heavy rains since Friday, accompanied by high winds and hail in some areas, have affected 37,000 people in Hubei and Hunan provinces and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, inundating 2,200 hectares of farmland, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Monday.