Prospect of rain worries vegetable farmers

Though a new round of rainfall has not arrived as forecast, Tian Xiaofei was worried about the fate of the remaining 20,000 greenhouses in his jurisdiction - structures still standing in knee-deep water.

Tian, an official of Houzhen in Shouguang, Shandong province, has seen more than 10,000 greenhouses collapse in his town alone, as the roaring pumps were strained by unusually heavy flooding that hit the coastal province last week.

"I have no idea how many greenhouses can survive, and the coming rain only dims hope," he said.