Hunan hit by snow and freezing rain

Over 860,000 residents in Central China's Hunan province have been affected by freezing rain and snow that has persisted for days, local authorities said on Friday.

As of 8 am Friday, the cold wave prompted over 5,000 people to be relocated. About 39,000 people are still in need of assistance, according to the provincial emergency management headquarters.

The rain and snow have damaged 79,560 hectares of crops and caused a direct economic loss of about 819 million yuan ($119 million).