8 killed in rainstorm in NW China province

BEIJING - Eight people have been killed and six others are missing in Northwest China's Gansu province as heavy rain and flooding continued to batter the region on Monday.

The National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs issued emergency disaster relief responses at 6 pm, with a special work team dispatched to the region to guide local relief efforts.

Figures from the Gansu civil affairs department show that rainstorms and consequent floods have affected 928,000 people in 44 counties in ten cities since July 7, leading to 135,000 houses to topple over or be seriously damaged.

Some 106,000 locals have been resettled and given emergency aid, the department said.

Meanwhile, the provincial government has allocated 6 million yuan ($977,400) for emergency relief and sent 3,020 tents and 10,500 cotton quilts to the disaster-hit areas.