Natural disasters in southwest China kill 35

KUNMING — Natural disasters have killed 35 people and left 10 missing in Southwest China's Yunnan province since May, said a statement Tuesday.

Natural disasters such as floods, hail, landslides and mudslides have led to the evacuation of more than 9,000 residents in the province's 16 prefectures and cities between May 1 and July 24, according to the statement released by the provincial civil affairs department.

More than 1,400 houses collapsed and over 15,000 sustained damage. Around 222,420 hectares of crop fields were damaged, 27,460 hectares of which were completely destroyed, the statement said.

The direct economic losses will exceed three billion yuan (around $440 million), it said.

So far, Yunnan has allocated 530 million yuan in disaster-relief funds.