Eight dead as downpours batter south China

NANNING/GUIYANG - At least eight people have been killed in the latest downpours to batter south China, according to flood control authorities.

Residents help evacuate students from Yifu primary school in Pingba country, Guizhou province, following torrential rains, June 3, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

In the worst hit area, Shiqian county in Guizhou Province, six people are reported dead and another is missing after torrential rains on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Flooding hit 33 counties in Guizhou affecting one million people, more than 80,000 of whom were evacuated. More than 3,000 homes have collapsed. Power, water and communications were cut off. Thousands of tents, quilts and clothes have been sent to the affected areas.

Luzhai County in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region reported 345 mm of rain betweem 2 pm on Wednesday to 10 a.m. Thursday, bringing landslides and flooding houses. One person died as a house collapsed.

In Sichuan Province, a 70-year-old villager in Tongjiang County, Bazhong City, died after being hit by a mountain torrent on Monday evening.

At least 37 people died and six others are unaccounted for after the previous downpours in May.

Guizhou's 33 counties hit by severe flooding	Flood hits Fenghuang tourist attraction