Storm death toll rises to 48 in south China

SHANGHAI, Aug 5 (Reuters) The deaths caused by Tropical Storm Prapiroon in south China rose to 48 today and 15 people remain missing, the official Xinhua news agency said, but the storm was weakening as it moved inland.

Over 5 million people were hit by torrential rains after the storm made landfall in the southern province of Guangdong on Thursday evening, Xinhua reported.

Direct economic losses were estimated at 2.4 billion yuan (0 million) as Prapiroon triggered landslides, destroyed crops and severely damaged 7,000 houses, local officials said.

Several hundred thousand people fled their homes, and tens of thousands of boats in the area were ordered to return to harbour.

In the Guangxi region, at least six migrant farm workers died before dawn today when a flash flood swept away their makeshift shelter in a valley. Rescuers were able to save six others.

But Prapiroon weakened as it moved inland through Guangxi, and by early today morning it had been downgraded from a storm to a tropical depression, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Before it hit China, Prapiroon killed six people in the Philippines. It disrupted hundreds of flights in the regional transport hub of Hong Kong, but the territory's airport returned to normal operations today.

Prapiroon, which means ''God of Rain'' in Thai, was the sixth storm of the season to hit southern China. Tropical storm Bilis killed more than 600 people when it struck in July, and it was quickly followed by Kaemi, which claimed at least 30 lives.

REUTERS SY RK1820