Floods batter southwestern China

Heaviest downpour since records began dumps 305mm of rain in Nanchuan district in three days, official news agency says.

Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/

Downpours have battered a large area of southwestern China, triggering flash floods, cutting off power supplies and disrupting transport in some parts, state media has reported.

Sanquan township in Nanchuan district, Chongqing, has received 305mm of rain in the past three days, the heaviest downpour since records began, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday, citing meteorological authorities.

State television CCTV said the flash floods had been the worst to hit Sanquan in 100 years.

Power supplies and communications had been completely cut off in the township, it added.

Heavy rainfall also triggered multiple landslides, blocking roads in the mountainous region.

“I am 72 years old, and I have never seen so much water before,” said an unidentified local villager.

In Nanchuan district, two road workers were reported missing, while 32 homes collapsed, and 360 were evacuated, Xinhua reported.

Torrential rains also battered neighbouring Guizhou province on Sunday and Monday, Xinhua said, killing at least nine people, and leaving 11 others missing.

More than 50,000 people were affected by the storms and 3,120 were moved to safe grounds, it added.