Over 354,000 residents affected by rainstorms in Guangxi

NANNING -- A total of 354,785 residents have been affected by heavy downpours in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, with nearly 48,000 relocated, local authorities said Wednesday.

The regional emergency management administration said floodwaters rushed into 30 counties and districts of nine cities.

In Tiandeng county, one of the most flood-stricken counties, over 2,700 hectares of crops and more than 600 houses were damaged, and more than 30,000 residents were relocated.

The regional transport department said Wednesday, that between Sunday and Tuesday, services at 11 sections of seven national highways were suspended due to collapse and floods.

Five tunnel maintainers were trapped around a railway tunnel on Tuesday, with one of them confirmed dead and another missing.

More than 23,000 hectares of crops were damaged and 87 houses collapsed as of Wednesday in Guangxi, with direct economic losses of over 1.14 billion yuan ($165 million).