Floods in China: 41 dead,107 missing

Beijing, Jul 21: Heavy rain ravaged in northwest China has killed at least 41 people and 107 missing.

According to the sources nearly 1.66 million people in the three cities of China were affected and 27,160 houses were destroyed till now.

In Ankang, 2 major landslides occurred, leaving 14 dead and 35 missing.

Heavy rain had forced authorities to close shipping locks on the massive three Gorges dam. Millions of people have been evacuated from their homes.

The reservoir behind the massive 3 Gorges dam, the world's largest hydropower project, had swollen to the highest level ever and flood waters were flowing faster than in 1998, when a devastating deluge killed more than 4,000 people.

In many areas people battled for over 24 hours to restore a road link to the outside world, risking landslides and floods.

According to the sources since Jul 8, 2010, floods had killed more than 701 people, causing about 142 billion of economic losses.

Rice output in China, the world"s largest grain producer, may fall 10 percent this time because of heavy rainfall.

OneIndia News