2m people affected as floods hit eastern China province

NANCHANG - More than two million residents have been affected by torrential rain-triggered floods in eastern China's Jiangxi province, with 150,000 relocated, local authorities said Tuesday.

Starting Thursday, heavy rain has led to nine cities of the province being inundated by floodwaters, said the Jiangxi provincial emergency management bureau.

As of 10:00 pm Monday, the floods had adversely affected 137,200 hectares of crops and wiped out 15,600 hectares of crops, and 1,357 houses collapsed into the surging waters, with 1,063 houses severely damaged.

Direct economic losses were estimated at 3.73 billion yuan (about $540 million).

A total of 36 firefighting teams consisting of 716 firefighters and 241 armed police have been dispatched for relief and relocation work.

Authorities have also distributed relief supplies, including folding beds, cotton quilts and bamboo mats, to the affected residents to guarantee basic living needs.

The provincial weather departments predicted that multiple rounds of torrential downpours would hit Jiangxi until early July, and the flood control situation in the province would become grimmer.