Heavy downpours affect over 100,000 in China's Sichuan

CHENGDU -- Torrential rains have affected more than 100,000 residents in Southwest China's Sichuan province and forced the emergency evacuation of over 7,000 people, local authorities said Sunday.

The heavy downpours lashed the northeastern part of Sichuan, including the cities of Bazhong, Nanchong and Dazhou, from 8 am Saturday to 8 am Sunday, flooding roads and raising water levels of several local rivers above warning levels, according to the Sichuan provincial water resources department.

A monitoring station in Yingshan county, under Nanchong, saw precipitation of 424.8 mm in the 24-hour period, the department said.

Disaster relief and rescue efforts are underway.