China's flood death toll hits 652

CHINA: Floods, landslides and mudflows triggered by torrential rains have killed 652 people in China so far this year, with more heavy rains forecast, state media reported Monday.

Xinhua News Agency, quoting the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, also said the flooding had caused 52.5 billion yuan (US$6.9 billion; euro5.05 billion) in direct economic losses as of Sunday, the office said.

The floods, mostly in southern and eastern China, had destroyed 452,000 homes and affected 119 million people, Xinhua said.

The flood control office said it was still concerned about the swollen Huaihe River, where the water level has been above the warning line for nearly three weeks.

Some dikes on the tributaries of the Huaihe River are in danger of collapsing, with about 270,000 people in Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces mobilized to fight floods along the Huaihe River, Xinhua said.

It said heavy rains were forecast to hit the country's southwest, northwest and northeast regions in the coming days.

Beijing, Monday, AP