BEIJING - A new wave of downpours over the weekend has killed at least nine
people in central and southwest China, a region already battered by rainstorms
last month, Chinese media said on Monday.
Worst hit was the central province of Hubei where seven people were swept
away by flash floods triggered by torrential rains since Friday, the People's
Daily said.
More rainstorms were expected to hit parts of Hubei and Sichuan, both along
the Yangtze, China's longest river, on Monday and Tuesday, the National
Meteorological Centre forecast on its Web site (www.nmc.gov.cn).
The flood season in southern China, usually from May to September, is
notoriously deadly. The country's southeastern provinces expect more damage
during the typhoon and tropical storm season that extends through to October.