China braces for more flooding as torrential rains forecast
- More than 8.5 million people in 24 regions have been affected by torrents in past week
- Economic damage already estimated at US$2.8 billion
Millions of people in southern China may have to be evacuated as weather forecasters say the region is set for more heavy rain and flooding that have already wreaked havoc in low-lying areas.
The economic losses have been estimated at 20 billion yuan (US$2.8 billion).
The National Meteorological Centre warned on Tuesday that heavy rain was set to hit the southern province of Guizhou and the mid- and downstream areas of the Yangtze River later this week. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Emergency Management said parts of southern China would be hit by heavy downpours before the end of the month.
The Ministry of Water Resources said water levels in the Huai and Pearl rivers – both tributaries of the Yangtze – might rise beyond their flood warning lines.
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Deadly floods and torrential rain in China affect over 8.5 million people
Chongqing, a major business and commercial hub in southwest China, is one of the areas that has been hardest hit.
